Learning about Leo
by mewsugarpudd
Summary: Hera decides that the other six prophecy demigods don't know enough about their resident fire starter and takes it upon herself to fill in some blanks. And how does she do this? Well, by kidnapping them and forcing them to watch some of Leo's best and worst memories of course. Will include bromance, angst and a whole load of adorable Leo moments.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, this is my first story for the Percy Jackson/heroes of Olympus series and it is about my adorable favourite character Leo who I feel has the worst luck on board the Argo! I get the feeling that the others don't know him as well as they should so here is my way of getting Leo a little more recognition. It is set somewhere in the Mark of Athena before they reach Rome. Leo has not met Calypso (the other canon pairings will be mentioned but I prefer to keep this story about their bonds with Leo so there wont be too much lovey-dovey stuff). Nico is not on the ship (feel free to make up any reason for that it is just enough of a pain to control seven demigods).

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters as our troll lord Rick Riordan happens to be the only one to enjoy this privilege.

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Leo's P.O.V

It had been a pretty ordinary day aboard his spanking hot Argo ll, though ever since he had found out about the fact that he was a half Greek demigod, his definition of the word ordinary had changed considerably. See, in the past, ordinary would have meant that he had escaped from another foster home and was now sitting in a sewer hoping to avoid child services. Now an ordinary day consisted of at least two monster attacks - and that was just before lunch. He had spent most of the day at the helm talking to Festus in the unique creak and squeak language that he had come to value. Though it hurt like hell-fire (he snorted internally at that thought because the concept of fire hurting him anyway but emotionally was largely foreign and he wasn't touching upon that topic right now) to see the previously glorious bronze dragon stuck to the front of his boat. His friends hadn't seemed to realise just how much that loss had truly effected him which sadly enough wasn't to much of a surprise as Leo was used to his friends not noticing his true feelings. With that depressing thought bouncing around his curly-haired head, he rose from where he had been sitting on the deck and stretched, feeling the soothing weight of his tool belt fastened around his slim hips. No more depressing thoughts, he mentally scolded himself. It was his turn to make tea tonight due to Hazel's idea of a meal every Friday that had to be cooked by one of the crew members. This had quickly turned into a let Leo, Hazel, Piper and Annabeth cook the food while we stay back in fear of more culinary disasters routine. The other three had been banned from the kitchen after some pretty horrendous crimes against cooking and the only four demigods who had a semi-decent cooking ability had decided to take over the schedule before someone got food poisoning. Leo sighed as he turned and walked towards the kitchen, trying to ignore the faint echoes of _"seventh wheel"_ that had been roaring around his head like the motorbike that Nemesis had been riding. He failed.

Hera's P.O.V

The goddess frowned as she observed the young captain of the Argo ll. She had noticed that the son of Hephaestus was not quite understood by the rest of her heroes and (though she loathed to admit it) she did have a soft spot for the boy who she had been training practically since birth to become one of her chosen few. It was annoying to see the way the other demigods often ignored the boy, to caught up in their romantic liaisons. The goddess' frown deepened and most creatures of Olympus carefully avoided the queen as she contemplated ways to rectify the situation. After all, these children were needed (and she was glad that her husband could not hear this) and they needed them united. Suddenly Hera realised that there was a way for the demigods to get to know the small fire user better. Hera rose and the frown turned into a mush more terrifying smile, and anyone who had withstood the previous expression now scrambled away with utmost haste. Hera had a plan. And woe betide anybody who got in the way of her new little scheme.

General P.O.V

Seven demigods had gathered to sample a taste of Leo's fine cuisine. Most did not know how he had learned to cook this well, but they chose to ignore this fact in favour of actually eating the delicious meal that their resident joker had prepared for them. Coach Hedge had already eaten and was currently making sure that nothing attacked the ship while the heroes ate. Frank and Percy were discussing the unusual relations that they had (and he fact that one of these relations was a horse while the other was a cyclops really sums up how that conversation was going), Jason and Annabeth were comparing the tactics used by the Greeks and the tactics used by the Romans and Piper was trying to explain to Hazel that, no jedi was not an actual religion and that Leo simply though he was a lot funnier than he actually was while said prankster tried not to joke on his own paella (he had made sure that piper's had stayed strictly vegetarian but he loved sharing a little bit of his culture with his team mates) at the fact that poor, naive hazel had actually believed him. The atmosphere was warm and Leo had managed to push down the thoughts that had been plaguing him earlier and was just enjoying the fact that he was actually sitting down to have a meal with people he cared about, when a bright flash enveloped everybody in the room and they slowly lost their grip on conciousness.

When all of the seven had woken up, they found themselves in a plain room with white walls, a basic beige carpet, an extended couch that looked big enough for all of them to sit on comfortably and a large flat screen TV. As they rapidly scanned the room, they also took a quick inventory and found that they still had all of there weapons (Leo still had his tool belt) which was odd because most monsters didn't leave them with a means of fighting back. Or provide an awesome telly. For a few moments everyone stood ready for battle and waiting for the latest monster/megalomaniac follower of Gaia to spring up and attack them. It was a surprise then when instead of an enemy, Hera appeared (though some of them questioned whether or not they would have preferred an attack over a visit fro the goddess who had royally screwed up a lot of their lives).

"What in the name of Hades are you doing here?" Annabeth spat at one of her least favourite goddesses.

"Ah child of Athena, I had forgotten how unpleasant it was to be in your presence, however, despite how much I enjoy your petty insults, I am here for a very serious reason".

At these words, all the demigods stiffened.

"Hey Tia, I think that we have all had enough of your serious reasons so if you'll excuse me, I have a boat to pilot".

Leo crossed his arms and glared up at Hera who shook her head at the boy's insolence. However, she reminded herself that it was for a good cause and decided to inform her champions of what they were doing there.

"I have gathered the seven of you here today because you are to be the champions of the gods and to this you need to be a true team. Yet, through your incessant need to be with your respective girlfriend or boyfriend, you have neglected a key member of your team. I feel that you simply do not know Leo Valdez enough to complete your mission well, therefore you will stay here watching moments of his life."

Hera smiled, satisfied that her good deed of the year had been fulfilled and she could now go back to Olympus and try and avoid her husbands wrath for communicating with the children. At Hera's words a chorus of protests rang out, with the loudest coming from a very frazzled Leo.

"We don't have the time to-"

"We can't do that-"

"Invasion of privacy-"

**"No freaking way!"**

All heads whipped to the (literally) steaming Latino as his hands balled into fists at his sides and small flames flickered in his dark hair.

"No freaking way," he repeated softly "and besides, how in the name of Hades are we even here and don't we have a quest with a very short expiration date to fulfil soon? You know, stopping the end of the world, taking selfies over our vanquished enemies, that sort of thing." At this Piper, Annabeth and Hazel shook their heads while Percy and Jason looked amused and Frank was just startled that Leo knew a word as big as vanquished that wasn't related to anything mechanical. Hera simply smiled.

"I am a goddess and the wife of Zeus, the king of Olympus, many beings owe me favours. I have had time changed so that a whole day in this room is simply a minute outside, you can still complete your quest on time."

"Wait, why have you never called this favour in before," Percy fumed "that could have been really helpful when we were trying to destroy Kronos!"

"Foolish son of Poseidon, when we are fighting beings as ancient as the titans, magic such as this would be of no use. Anyway, you will learn about the boy and your team shall grow stronger. I am not offering you a choice here so settle down and perhaps you might actually get to know Valdez properly." With a final glare, Hera disappeared from he room, leaving seven shocked demigods. After some choice cussing in a wide variety of languages, they realised that if Hera wanted them to sit down and watch this home movie of Leo's life the they would. Frank was the first to sit on the couch - with Hazel following swiftly after. Eventually all were seated in this order from left to right: Frank, Hazel, Annabeth, Percy, Leo Jason and Piper. Percy and Jason were trying to avoid being burnt by the enraged mechanic as he muttered curses in what they assumed was Spanish under his breath and fiddled with something inside of his toolbelt. And then the telly flickered to life.

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So feel free to leave me a review, but don't bother sending flames as I have a favourite character who is impervious to fire and I'm not afraid to unleash him.


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter will actually see the start of Leo's memories and I'm starting with an angsty one so be prepared for some sadness, though some of the memories should be cute/funny. Also, a bit of this chapter is still setting the scene as I think the demigods wouldn't accept this as easily as they appeared to last chapter.

Thanks to everyone who faved or followed and to my lovely reviewers:

SilverSapphire999 : Thank you for being my first reviewer and I hope that this chapter meets your expectations.

SeventhWheel : I love to read stories like this to, that's why I decided to try writing one myself. I hope you like this chapter (cool reference in your nickname by the way).

Halfbloodglader : I'm glad you like it and I'm sorry about any errors but the program I am using doesn't do any grammar or spelling checks. I will double check this chapter but please forgive me if there are any mistakes I miss.

Awesometacos : Is this soon enough for you? :) And I was shocked that no one had done a story like this yet for Leo so I couldn't let the opportunity go.

Our Mismatched Socks : Yay, thank you for liking my story and I will definitely be continuing this story so don't worry.

Disclaimer : Unfortunately my attempts to buy the rights to Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus have been unsuccessful so I do not own any of the characters that Rick Riordan has created.

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Jason's P.O.V

As the screen turned on, Jason felt himself leaning away from his best friend who was currently radiating steam like a just-boiled kettle. At the same time, he couldn't help glancing worriedly at the smaller boy who was staring at the screen with a mix of desperation and anger. His attention was dragged back to the television when he heard childish sobbing emitting from it. The sight displayed for the seven would have melted even Khione's heart.

_On the screen, a smaller version of their friend sat sobbing in a hospital waiting room. He looked around seven or eight, but as Leo was naturally short, the age was uncertain. His head was nestled between his pulled up knees and his tiny hands were clenched in his messy mop of curly, black hair. The tanned fingers were turning white with the force of his grasp, and he was gently rocking as he cried hopelessly._

Jason felt the modern day version of his best friend stiffen and drop whatever he had been making within his toolbelt as the child version shuddered and moaned on screen. Leo's brown eyes looked horrified, and Jason realised that Leo definitely knew what was happening on the screen. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, Leo sprang up and attacked the screen with a mix of his trademark fire and hammers that were pulled out of his ever present toolbelt. All of his friends stared in disbelief as Leo viciously attacked the screen, yet his attacks did no visible damage. The image on screen did, however, freeze though it remained to mock the enraged teen.

Hera's voice suddenly boomed around the group, "LEO VALDEZ, STOP ATTACKING MY TELEVISION!" Leo, panting from his mindless assault on the television, froze with his head down and shoulders shaking in a way that eerily resembled the child version of himself.

"You can't show them this. Please," His voice was quiet and Jason was shocked that his usually loud and boisterous friend sounded so ... broken. The desperate plea behind the end of his sentence was evident and Jason felt a wave of anger that Hera was showing them something that was obviously incredibly painful for his friend. Yet, at the same time, a small, guilty part of himself whispered that didn't he deserve to know more about Leo? After all, he had trusted Leo with everything, from his feelings for Piper to the reappearance of Thalia in his life. He shook his head, he couldn't think like that. Leo had told him what he felt able to share and Jason should feel honoured that Leo had chose to tell him anything about his past. Hera's voice (though at a much more reasonable volume than before) snapped him out of his musings.

"Leo, I am doing this for your sake whether any of you choose to believe me or not. Anyway, you cannot damage the television and any time spent trying to stop this is wasting time in your world to complete your quest. I can turn days into minutes, but even half an hour spent dallying could end with disaster so you might as well watch the videos so you can return as quickly as possible. Some will be painful but if you are to fight together than you need to see that even the brightest smile can tell a painful story."

Jason watched as Leo took a shaky breath before returning to the couch, making a visible effort to calm the flames dancing across his tanned skin.

"Just get this one over with" he muttered and Jason was quick to notice the exhausted tone hidden under the bitter remark. He placed his hand on Leo's shoulder and smiled slightly when he realised that Percy was doing the same thing on Leo's other side.

"Leo, were here for you okay? No matter what happens in these videos, your still our annoying, elven fire-bug." Although he had spoke quietly, Jason was happy to here the chorus of other voices as his friends agreed that they were there for Leo. The Latino smiled ever so slightly and then tilted his head up. The smile quickly turned devious.

"If I'm an elf, then does that make Frank an orc?" The question caused everyone to laugh, apart from Frank who stuttered indignantly for a few minutes before he turned away to hide the slight fondness in his eyes. The screen suddenly resumed playing.

_Child Leo was still crying in the same hospital chair, but he was now mumbling under his breath. "Quiero mi madre, quiero mi madre!" _

As little Leo spoke, subtitles popped up translating the agonised words.

"I want my mother. I want my mother!"

Jason felt his heart clench as he finally caught on to why the small Leo was so upset, and why his Leo had protested so vehemently to this video being played. Piper on his other side also caught on to just when this memory was from and his hand was now being clenched by a distraught daughter of Aphrodite.

"Oh Leo." Her words held such compassion that Leo (who had resumed his tinkering) looked up and gave her a weak smile.

"I'm fine beauty queen, the past is the past, right?" This was a valiant effort by Leo, but his efforts were undermined by the sad tone. Hazel already looked tearful, and the first video hadn't even finished yet. Jason was sincerely doubting Hera's motives at that moment.

_Two women walked on screen, heading towards Leo who curled into an even tighter ball as they approached. One of the women is wearing a smart shirt and pants combo with her blonde hair twisted into a fashionable yet professional bun. Her green eyes look quite harsh at this moment, but also held a look of compassion. It was evident that the woman was naturally kind and empathic yet the conversation that she was currently holding clearly displeased her. The other lady had similar colouring to Leo, and it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to realise that the two were related. A mole resided on her broad nose, and any resemblance to Leo ended when one observed her sour, twisted mouth and the harsh, cold look in her eyes._

Hazel gasped and Jason was about to ask why, when on screen the second lady's eyes fell upon the sobbing boy.

_An already unpleasant face turned even crueller as the woman rushed towards the cowering child. Leo had looked up and whimpered when he saw the lady but as she rushed towards him his tear stained face was filled with fear, and his chocolate orbs widened. The woman fell upon him and drew back her hand before slapping the child roughly on the face, her large nails leaving bloody streaks on his wet face. The blonde lady shouted for security and rushed to pull the other woman off of the small child. Guards rushed over as the attacking lady started screeching like a banshee. "That child is a __**diablo **__and I will not allow him to poison my family any longer." She proceeded to spit on the shaken child as the guards started dragging her away. "That demon murdered my sister. __**Diablo!**__**Demon! **__You shall never enter the homes of my family again. You should have been the one to die." The hysterical woman _(who Jason had now discerned to be Leo's aunt) _was dragged away, yet her words echoed along the halls and tainted the air. The blonde lady walked up to Leo, who shied away looking terrified. She hastily slapped a smile on her face and said "Hello there Leo, My names Mrs Sparrow and I'm your social worker."_

General P.O.V

The screen abruptly went blank, leaving behind seven shell-shocked demigods.

"That was ... horrible." Hazel's voice shook as she remembered the way her own mother had talked to her. Frank was grasping his girlfriend's hand as he shook his head. He couldn't believe that anyone could be so cruel to such a young child. Annabeth thought back to her step mother but even she hadn't been as brutal as that. Nasty and rude yes, but never outright abusive. Piper was feeling a strong mixture of grief and anger that her adorable little brother figure had been treated in such a way, especially as it must have been just after the death of his mother. Jason and Percy, who were the closest to the uncharacteristically quiet son of Hephaestus (though no one could blame him for being quiet after watching something like that), wrapped the boy in a three way hug. It spoke volumes to all of them that Leo didn't try to pull away or crack a joke. The memory had obviously been very painful and many of the young demigods found themselves cursing Hera for the umpteenth time. She couldn't have shown them a nice memory to help them understand Leo better, no, she had to show them something that had clearly left a scar on Leo's heart. Though, somewhere deep within themselves, they did acknowledge the fact that they were meant to be learning more about Leo, and that meant seeing parts of his life that he had found too painful to share. Just because they realised it, didn't mean they had to be happy about it.

Leo's P.O.V

Leo shuddered slightly as the words echoed from the memory. He had been trying to pretend that he was ready to relive his memories but to start of with something like that was just unfair on so many levels. He knew that his friends were watching him with concern and compassion (and thankfully without pity, because if they started showing pity he wouldn't be able to handle it) but he couldn't look up, couldn't show them the tears rolling down his cheeks as he silently cried. It was bad enough that they had seen his pitiful display on screen, they didn't need a repeat. Didn't need to see that behind his jokes and humour, there was a crying child. They didn't need another reminder that he was the weakest on this quest.

As he contemplated the best way to dry his eyes without it looking obvious, he felt to pairs of arms wrap around him. A comforting smell of salty sea water and the distinctive scent that came with a lightning strike hovered around him as Jason leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"She's wrong. It wasn't your fault, Leo. You're not a demon and it wasn't your fault". Leo slowly relaxed into the elder boys, Jason had inherited his father's stubborn nature, and Percy wasn't much better so Leo decided that it was probably hopeless to try and struggle.

After a few minutes Leo decided that the chick flick moment had lasted long enough.

"Jeez guys, if you hug me any longer than the girls are going to get jealous". In response to Leo's words, the other boys pulled back sheepishly, though Percy couldn't resist ruffling his hair a little bit. As Leo pretended to be annoyed at him and squashed down the feeling that this was what having older brothers must be like, Frank's voice piped up from the other end of the couch.

"Demons having nothing on Leo's ability to annoy people, in fact they probably take lessons from him." Hazel hit his arm while looking horrified, but Leo started laughing.

"Zhang, I hope you realise that I have only shown you a fraction of my true ability". Leo almost died laughing at the traumatised look on Frank's face and then the screen flicked on again.

General P.O.V

All of the group glared at the screen, silently daring Hera to show another sad memory.

_An image of a dark back alley was splayed across the telly. And then Leo appeared. In this scene, he looked around 11 and mouth was twisted into a scowl. He was wearing a worn, black t-shirt with the words"I'd get down on your level but I don't have eternity" Scrawled across it in red. The black jeans that encased his skinny legs were tattered and sported two large holes in the knee areas. He was also wearing black converse knock-offs and a backpack attached to his back tightly._

Piper turned to Leo with a confused expression, to which Leo simply shrugged.

"I didn't really have a lot of clothing options and black doesn't show stains much". Percy, who had been admiring the slogan on Leo's t-shirt, turned to him then with glimmers of worry in his sea green eyes. Frank looked even more confused than Piper had previously.

"Why didn't you have much clothing?" Frank's question seemed innocent enough but Leo froze slightly and chose to continue his toolbelt project instead of answering. The others took this as a sign to continue watching the video, which was now showing Leo at the end of the alley.

_His eyes seemed to be dissecting the wall in front of him, though it wasn't apparent what exactly he was looking for. Then, with fluid motions that suggested practice, Leo started scaling the wall. He never faltered, his hands and feet finding small holds in seemingly smooth bricks. After ascending the wall, Leo proceeded to sprint across rooftops. Throughout the journey numerous freerunning techniques were displayed and Leo appeared pretty confident as he raced along the rooftops. The memory ended with a particularly daring move as Leo leapt to a fire escape before shimmying down the metal bars and dropping lithely to the ground._

Leo looked at his friends startled faces and sighed as he waited the barrage of questions. He was not disappointed. The other demigods all started shouting out questions, only stopping when Leo held up his hands.

"I learnt to freerun when I was 10. I'd ran away a few times and picked up a few tricks, but then I met some other street kids who helped me out. It's a good trick when trying to run from child services. You learn a lot on the streets." Leo gave them all a brief glance and was happy to notice that they didn't seem ready to ram any more questions down his throat. They all looked back to the screen, mulling over what they had just learned and waiting for a never video.

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I apologise if any of the Spanish is wrong but I am not fluent in Spanish so feel free to tell me if I got it wrong. Also, I know that Leo can't freerun in the books but I think that as Leo spent a large majority of his life running he would have picked up a few tricks. As a little side note, Mrs Sparrow will probably make another appearance later on, so prepare for that.

I hope you liked it and feel free to leave a review though once again, don't bother flaming because Leo wont be too happy if you steal his ability.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi everyone, I'm sorry that this is a little later than usual but I had mock exams and didn't get a chance to write anything new.

As usual, thanks to everyone who faved or followed.

Phangirl Fenton: I'm glad that you like the story, I need reviewers like you so I know whether the story is okay.

Silversapphire999: I'm glad I'm not the only one to think that Leo can free run. I feel like Leo would have lots of useful abilities from living on the streets that are never really explored. Sorry for making you cry though it may not be the last time (Leo has such a sad past!)

Awesometacos: Thank you so much for both reviews and I am glad you think that it's perfect. Sorry for making you wait :( but hopefully my update schedule should be a bit more reliable now my mocks are over.

Techyy: Is this soon enough? :)

Our Mismatched Socks: I hope this chapter is as awesome as you think the others are (if you want stories like this you can check my favourites because I usually favourite a lot of stories like this. One that I know of is dreams of a fire-boy's past.)

Oh and by the way, I wanted to ask your opinion on whether on not I should put some scenes in from the book so that the others can see what happened with Festus and stuff like that. Feel free to tell me if you think it's a good or a bad idea.

Disclaimer: Still don't own them. Sob.

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Percy's P.O.V

Percy was still trying to figure out why the hell Leo had not told them about his freerunning. I mean it was freaking awesome to see him scaling up buildings like that. At the same time, Percy was trying to think of everything he knew about Leo. It was not much. Percy liked to think that he was pretty approachable and friendly but he was beginning to realise that Leo never seemed to really talk to him. All the others had no problem talking to him about their problems, but Leo never seemed to have any. Percy was starting to think (and even the Gods couldn't help him if Annabeth found this out) that maybe Hera was right. And didn't that just say something about the situation if HE was agreeing with HERA of all people. He wanted to think on the situation a little more, but the video didn't give him a chance.

_The Leo on screen was draped over an armchair and facing an official looking desk with a small bowl of mints placed in front of him. His appearance greatly contrasted the room in which he resided and the other occupant of the room. He seemed to be ten this time, and his clothes were slightly less battered than last time(though they were still a generic black).The way he was slouched in his chair opposed the rigid back of the man behind the desk. Both the man and the room were smart if simple looking and the man held a few sheets of paper in his hand. "Now Leo, I think it's time to move on to some inkblot tests." The man _(who Percy was just going to assume was Leo's therapist because only a therapist would have a bowl full of mints which each said things like "you are not alone" and "you can speak to me")_ then smiled encouragingly at Leo who looked bored out of his mind. The therapist seemed to take this as a signal to continue as he held up the first inkblot. "What do you see Leo?" At this question, the on screen Leo smirked ever so slightly before replying "I see and idiot holding a piece of paper that's had ink spilt on it." For one second, the therapist smiled before realising what Leo had said, and the smile swiftly turned into a small frown. The screen went black._

Percy burst out laughing at the antics of his ship mate and the fact that for one second the man hadn't realised that Leo was messing with him.

"I can't believe that he didn't catch on to that immediately." Percy gave Leo (who was smiling deviously) a high five.

"Don't encourage him, seaweed brain, he's bad enough as it is" Annabeth gave him a look and Percy wasn't enough of a man to deny the slight fear that came with Annabeth glaring at you.

General P.O.V

The young demigods were all relived that this memory had been a good one. They had all hated seeing any version of their friend sad or sobbing in such a soul destroying way. As the next video came on, they all hoped that it would be another good one. It wasn't.

_The same Leo that had been freerunning in the other video was breathing heavily on the large tv screen. He was standing in another alley way, but next to him was an open manhole. His eyes quickly surveyed the area before he jumped elegantly through the dark hole and into a dark sewer. It looked disgusting. Substances that no one wanted to identify dripped from the walls and they could only imagine what it smelt like down there. Yet the younger Leo didn't look too perturbed. Even when a rat scurried over his foot, Leo looked ... blank. As if all emotion had been drained from him and only this empty shell was left behind._ _He started to slowly pick his way through the dank sewer, trying to avoid the places where horrible liquids had sloshed over the sides. Eventually, he came to a halt next to a small alcove and pulled himself into it, curling up into the smallest ball he could (which, considering that Leo had been quite small to start with, was tiny)._ _His scrawny arms were wrapped tightly around his black backpack. After a few minutes of just lying there, Leo pulled himself up and rustled around in his backpack before pulling out a small chocolate bar and eating it reverently, as if it was his last meal. Then he put the backpack on the ground, placed his head on it and slowly drifted of to sleep. The memory ended there._

Leo's P.O.V

Leo could feel the tension in the room and took that as his cue to tell a joke. "See Jason, I told you we had a pretty cushy sewer." Jason turned towards him, and the smaller boy winced at the pure horror in his best friend's eyes. Once again, Leo was the centre of attention. He couldn't help but find the irony of the situation, the one time he didn't want them to pay any attention to him was the one time all eyes were on him. Percy, next to him, made a small choking noise.

"Dude, why were you sleeping it the sewer?" The question was asked with compassion laced through but Leo couldn't help but feel a small flicker of annoyance.

"It was a good hideout from social services." His reply was stated calmly, but he knew that answer was too serious so he put on his best impish grin and tacked on "The sewer smelt better than Frank's room does though." Before an argument could break out, another memory began yet Leo knew from the looks that both Piper and Annabeth were sending him that the conversation wasn't over.

_A twelve year old Leo sat in what was obviously a classroom. He was wearing simple beige shorts and a white short-sleeved top. His hands were moving so much that it looked like he was attempting to do a tango with his was sitting near the back of the room, and didn't appear to be listening to the teacher at all. In fact, Leo seemed to be completely absorbed in the paper that he was folding up._

Modern Leo grinned and pulled paper from his tool belt to begin his own paper creation.

_It was inevitable that the teacher would turn to Leo and call him out for not listening but the child's attention never wavered from his hands. This made it much more of a surprise when the teacher asked Leo in that smarmy way that all teachers use when they think they have an opportunity to humiliate a child into becoming an example for others, if he could answer the question and Leo replied with "86" without diverting his attention at all. The teacher looked shocked, he had just asked Leo what the square root of 7396 was. He looked between the board and Leo for a few minutes. "Valdez, see me after class." Leo gave him a mock salute with one hand, while holding his now completed paper bird in the other hand. Another memory was now over._

As Percy and Frank (which surprised Leo) laughed, Piper and Annabeth whirled on him.

"Don't think that the memory we've just seen will stop us discussing the last one." Hazel was actually the one to say that but everyone else nodded (Percy and Frank sobered up after getting a double death glare from Annabeth and Piper which scared Leo who it wasn't even directed at.)

"Leo, why were you sleeping in a sewer?" Piper's voice was filled with concern and Leo felt the burning rage raise it's head again. He had told both Piper and Jason why he slept in sewers once before. And Piper had clearly forgotten it.

"Pipes, I told you I slept in sewers during the quest for Hera and I told you why so I don't know why you are asking." He managed to keep the hurt and hostility from his voice, but it was painful to think that he had trusted Piper with a part of himself and she had forgotten the information he had shared.

"When ..." Piper's voice trailed of as she remembered the day in the sewer and at the same moment Jason's eyes flashed with recognition.

"You'd ran away, again" Jason's voice held no accusation but Leo bristled slightly at the word again.

"Yes I'd ran away, again." The people who knew is story or even part of it (Piper, Jason and Annabeth) looked sadly at him while the others looked confused.

"What were you running from?" Percy's voice was tentative but it was clear that all the demigods expected an answer. Leo sighed and dropped his paper creation into his belt in favour of running his hands through his hair (and attempting to subtly brush out the small flames sparking in his hair.)

"I was running from ... well I was running from everything."

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I hope you liked this chapter and feel free to leave your opinion on whether I should put in some scenes from the books.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to everyone who faved or followed the last chapter and if any one thinks I should or shouldn't use scenes from the books please feel free to comment.

Techyy : You're welcome :)

Fantasiedreamar : I'm glad you likey (if it isn't a word then it should be)

Our Mismatched Socks : You're welcome for the suggestions (I've got to spread the Leo love) and Leo has a very sad past so a lot of these memories will probably be sad though there will also be a lot of Leo-style comedy.

Awesometacos : I'm glad that you think I'm doing a good job and I hope that this story can help you in anyway to get through everything you need to.

Matt : Thanks for enjoying my story and I'm relieved that the joke was okay (hopefully it was up to Leo's standards).

Disclaimer : Sadly I still don't own the rights to Leo or the others nor do I own the rights to The Pied Piper.

* * *

Jason's P.O.V

Jason liked to think that he was pretty tough considering everything that he had gone through. He had been given up by his own mother to serve Hera who hated him for being the illegitimate son of her husband, losing his sister in the process (even though he did find her again later, the thought still stung), defeated the titan Krious and lost all of his memories due to his aforementioned servitude but when Leo said that he was trying to run away from everything in a voice that was a mixture of exhaustion, hurt, anger and sadness, Jason felt like he needed to rethink the word pain. His chest felt tight and he was torn between the desire to hug his elven looking friend and the desire to track down anyone who had ever hurt his friend and making them pay. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt this way as he observed his the expressions of his friends. Percy looked beyond murderous, Annabeth had the stony look of someone who knew how to kill you in many painful ways and how to hide the bodies (well it was Annabeth, that was probably all true), Piper's beautiful face was a mixture of rage and sympathy, Hazel was crying softly and Frank looked both bewildered and fuming (which coming from a son of Mars was suitably intimidating).

Leo was sitting slightly hunched over, as if he could escape all the attention by focusing on his feet. He took a deep, wavering breath before standing in front of the television.

"I suppose you want an explana..." Leo's words were cut of by the television turning on, though the screen just turned white with a few words written on it. They said _"It is the job of the television to provide you with insights to Leo's past, thus rendering his explanations useless as the scenes that you will be witnessing should give you all the information that you need when you are ready for it."_ At this, Leo huffed and plopped himself down on the couch again. His hands sought out another distraction and he was soon working on some form of mechanical creature. Although none of Jason's questions had been answered, he assumed that Hera was telling them that they would find everything out if they were patient. Jason hated being patient when it came to his friend's happiness, but he dutifully turned to the screen to hopefully receive another piece of the mysterious puzzle named Leo Valdez.

_The memory started on an image of an eleven year old Leo sitting on a brick wall with another, taller boy resting beside him. The other boy looked to be about sixteen years old, with dark, brown hair and cat-green eyes. Both boys seemed to radiate tranquillity, even though little Leo was tapping his fingers steadily on the side of the wall. Then Leo's warm, chocolate eyes were turned upon the other boy with an innocent puppy dog look _(Jason reckoned that Leo's puppy dog look should be turned into a weapon because all the girls in the room seemed to turn into mush at that look, and Percy looked a little mushy too if he was honest) _and the other boy turned to him with a raised eyebrow."Can I stay here with you forever James?" The question was asked in a pleading voice and the older boy - now identified as James - looked down at Leo with a soft smile before rustling the younger boys hair. When Leo had dodged away from the hand attempting to defile his hair, he looked up at the boy with his hopeful puppy dog face back in place. James sighed, and tugged Leo into a tight hug. His eyes flicked up to the sky before he whispered " I hope that you will be my little bro forever Leo but it's not my decision to make." Leo's arms snaked around his neck and his eyes were suddenly filled with excitement. The little boy was practically vibrating with happiness and James gave him a quizzical glance. "Are we really brothers?" his voice was tinged with hope and happiness and James laughed lightly. "Of course we are Leo, no matter what my mom and dad choose, you'll always be my awesome little brother" Leo's grin was blinding and the video faded out._

Off screen Leo was also smiling, though his smile was softer and had a slightly wistful quality.

"James was a great older brother even though I didn't get to stay with him too long." At this remark, Piper reached past Jason to wrap Leo up in a one-armed hug. Jason was relieved that this memory had been an obviously fond one as everyone in the room seemed to relax a little. The tension that had been left over from Leo's confession was dissolving, though the curiosity in Jason was burning almost as hot as Leo's flames. He wanted to know exactly what Leo had meant by that chilling statement, but he didn't think that anyone would appreciate the matter being brought up again after such a calming memory. Another video began.

_Twelve year old Leo was in another classroom, though this time it looked to be a music room with numerous instruments strewn around. Motivational pictures hung on the colourful walls with typical inspiring phrases and different music notes had been painted around each frame. A clock on the wall revealed the time to be twenty to three _(which Jason would assume meant that it was nearly home time)._The teacher was a young woman with her red hair tied in a sloppy bun and her blue eyes looked like they peering were into another world, though this was belied by the fact that the whole class appeared riveted _(Jason knew that if she had been as scatterbrained as she looked then she wouldn't have commanded such respect). _Her eyes fell upon Leo and she smiled kindly. "Leo, it is your turn to perform for us now". The younger version of Leo bounced up to the front of the class and sat in front of a stunning grand piano. His small stature provided a great contrast to the large piano, but the confidence shining on his face removed any comedy from the situation. Small, tanned fingers reverently brushed over the ivory keys and, at a nod from the teacher, Leo began to play. No one could claim that the piece was perfect, some notes were stumbled over and at times the key was wrong, yet the song was so heartfelt and filled with melancholy that everyone in the classroom seemed to be stunned into silence as the last haunting echoes danced around the room._

"That was beautiful despite the mistakes." Annabeth's comment would have appeared pretty heartless if you didn't know her, but thankfully the others understood her personality, and Leo gave her a gentle smile while still toying with his small invention which looked some what familiar to Jason even if he couldn't place it at the moment. Leo (feeling Jason's eyes on him) turned and winked at the other boy, and Jason realised what Leo was making despite the fact that his memory was sort of hazy around that time due to his wounds. He snorted in disbelief.

"Please tell me that you aren't making a miniature cyclops figurine." Piper also looked at Leo's creation and started laughing.

"Are you seriously making Ma Gasket?" Leo snickered while Hazel and Frank glanced at him and Annabeth sighed as Percy looked perplexed.

"Who's Ma Gasket? Percy finally decided to ask finally.

"Oh, just a cyclops who I defeated on the quest to save Hera." Jason could see the questions brimming in the eyes of his fellow demigods but a video once again cut of all chances of a proper discussion.

_This time Leo looked to be the same age as now. He was perched on top of a school desk which Piper was sitting behind._

Next to Jason, Piper stiffened before she turned to the resident fire starter.

"Is that the Wilderness school the week before Jason joined?" Leo simply nodded and Jason sat up straighter to watch his best friend and his girlfriend in the week before the mist had said he arrived.

_From the top of the desk, Leo was able to look down at Piper and he was wearing his best troll smile. The Piper on screen was making a valiant effort to ignore her impish friend, but her patience could only last so long before she whipped her head up and snapped "What are you hovering over me for?" If it was possible, Leo's smirk turned even more devious and he replies with faux innocence "I only want to ask you a question Piper."The lack of a nickname made Piper even more wary as she looked up at Leo. "Will you stop staring at me if I answer?" Leo nodded so fast he almost fell of the desk _(Jason heard Frank snicker) _and Piper sighed. "Go on then." _

Percy gave her a pitying look before shaking his head.

"You have just given him permission to be a royal troll haven't you?" Piper glared at Leo who stared humming an off key version of Happy while putting the finishing touches on his Ma Gasket figurine. Which then proceeded to start screaming to imaginary versions of Sump and Torque about the best ways to barbecue shrimpy demigods. Leo sheepishly pressed a hidden button which shut of the screeching. The video which had paused itself when it became obvious that no one was paying attention to it, started playing the again.

_"Where did you take the rats and the children?" Piper blinked at him in confusion before Leo barrelled on with his questions. "Where did you get your magic pipe? Do you speak German? Did you use your magic pipe to take that BMW?" Piper clearly hadn't caught on yet, though it was slowly dawning on on her what Leo was getting at. Leo switched tactics. "Do you work at a bakery?" "Leo what are you even on about?" "Do you handle the piping?" Piper looked beyond baffled at this point. "Do you wear a kilt when you play your bagpipes?" The expression on Piper's face changed as she caught on to where the line of jokes where coming from _(Jason didn't envy Leo at that point, Piper looked murderous) _but before Piper could retaliate, a bell rang and Leo sailed out of the classroom, yelling over his shoulder, "next time you should pipe up before the bell rings or I wont get to listen to you." The screen faded on an image of Piper burying her head into her hands and groaning._

Everyone was laughing except for Piper who was attempting to drill two holes in Leo's head with her eyes, Leo who was giving Piper a relatively apologetic look and Jason himself who couldn't help the upwards twitch of his mouth (he knew that laughing would be like signing his own death warrant considering the fact that his girl friend was sitting right next to him.)

"If it's any consolation, I trolled Jason as well though that was through pranks not name jokes." Percy's eyes lit up at this and Jason knew he was doomed when another clip started up.

_Jason was sitting up in bed and stretching _(he blushed as he realised that he was on screen in his pyjamas with a serious case of bed head. He then remembered what happens next and it was his turn to face palm) _and he had obviously just woke up when he looked at his alarm clock and promptly fell out of bed._

It was his turn to glare at the sniggering Latino beside him as everyone snickered around him.

_The alarm clock clearly stated that it was ten in the afternoon. Jason's eyes darted over to the other side of the room where the twin of his bed stood surrounded by a pile of random creations and not currently occupied by Leo Valdez. Suddenly, a familiar voice blared out from behind the door of the bedroom. "Cupcake, I don't care what dreams of Miss Piper are filling your head right now, if you aren't out of that room in three seconds you will be running ten laps around the school while carrying me on your back!" Jason's eyes widened comically and he lunged for the doorknob and plunged himself into the hallway. There was an almost blinding flash of light, and as it died down one devilishly smiling Leo Valdez was revealed, holding on to a battered, old camera. Clarity dawned on Jason as Leo started sprinting away. He was about to follow when Leo called over his shoulder "It's a Sunday Jay, and if I were you I'd get dressed before running anywhere." As the boy sped away, Jason looked down and realised that he was now standing in a corridor that could be filled with his classmates at any minute in just his pyjamas. "Valdez!" He growled under his breath as he stormed back into the bedroom, only to be drenched by a previously hidden water pistol that Leo had somehow timed to go off after Jason had re-entered the room. This time, his shout of "VALDEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" was probably heard by the entire building. The real Coach hedge was not going to be impressed. The last image was of Leo and Jason sitting side by side in detention writing "I shall not prank my room-mate on a Sunday at five in the morning" and "I shall not be stupid enough to fall for pranks by my room-mate at five in the morning on a Sunday and proceed to wake everyone up" respectively while being watched over by a very irate Coach Hedge._

Everyone, even Jason, descended into giggling heaps though Jason, Piper and Leo all felt a slight pang as they realised these events had been fabricated by the mist. Leo, sensing this vibe between them, grinned at Jason.

"Those memories may have been created by the mist but damn are we in character!" Jason felt the weariness leave him as he realised that maybe it didn't matter to much if some of his memories with Leo were fake. They felt real and the trio could all remember them. These memories were just as precious because they were still shared between them which mad them real enough for Jason.

"Just remember that I still have to pay you back for that one Valdez" He smirked as Leo laughed at him. He may still have a lot to learn about Leo and he was sure that the videos would teach him more, but he knew Leo was his friend and he was determined to never fail him again. The same resolve shone in the eyes of his other friends as they turned towards the screen.

* * *

I kept this chapter in Jason's point of view because I wanted to focus on their dynamic and also to show that in this story, Jason, Piper and Leo accept their fabricated memories as they strengthen their friendship so even though they may not appreciate having their memories tampered with, they are willing to accept that these memories keep to their characters enough to be real. Also, about the piano, Leo isn't some musical genius who can play the piano flawlessly, he simply managed to pick a piece that portrayed his emotions and this meant that it was a beautiful song despite it not being technically accurate.


	5. Chapter 5

This is a little warning for this chapter, there will be scenes of child abuse mentioned. There will be nothing graphic but if this is a difficult topic for you than I wouldn't read the memory about Leo's foster mother Teresa (I will put a warning before that memory starts.)

Thanks to all my followers and everyone who has faved.

Fantasiedreamar : As long as the tears are of happiness then it's alright (though this chapter is looking to be another sad one so those tears may be for a different reason soon.)

Awesometacos : I don't know if he's too lucky, he now has both Piper and Jason out for revenge :)

Colinare : That's one of the memories that I was considering so thanks for suggesting it. I probably won't write it for this chapter but I will definitely write it soon. It will probably get a chapter all to itself as it is such a pivotal moment of Leo's life.

Our Mismatched Socks : Thanks for saying that the last chapter was sweet (I really wanted to put in a cute moment with Leo and at least one of his foster siblings) however this will be another mostly sad chapter. Teresa will be in this chapter so thanks for the suggestion as I had forgotten about her.

QueenofLothlorien : I'm very happy to hear that you love this story and of course you can make a request, it helps me to know what you want to see in future chapters.

Rollercoaster2003 : Thank you :)

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I have been trapped on fanfiction and many other fictional worlds.

Guest : I'm glad you think so.

SilverGhost : Here is your update since you asked so nicely ;)

Great Faith : I'm glad that you think my story is funny, so thank you for reviewing.

Disclaimer : Percy Jackson's world isn't mine. Yet.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V

The atmosphere felt a lot lighter after those memories. In fact, it was probably the calmest they had all felt since Hera had decided to throw the demigods into another one of her crazy schemes. Percy was glad that they had seen some of Leo's nicer memories, he had been getting really worried for the younger boy. Leo's confession about running away from everything had genuinely scared him, and although he didn't want to see Leo in pain again, he couldn't deny that he wanted to find out what had happened to their friend to make him keep running. The next video would make him regret his curiosity.

_The 11 year old Leo was once again on the screen, though this time he was sitting in a fairly boring looking sitting room. He was sat on the edge of a plain, beige couch and his scrawny legs were swinging gently, though this casual motion was undermined by the look of fear on his face._

"Is this video before or after the two other videos of 11 year old Leo?" Percy turned to his left so he could ask his question to Annabeth, who sighed while giving him a look that was a strange combination of exasperation and adoration (not that he'd ever tell her that).

"It must be before, Seaweed Brain, as Leo is wearing the same clothes as those videos but if you look out the window you can see that it's daytime unlike the other two." Annabeth looked proud of her explanation but Leo was shaking his head slightly.

"That doesn't always work, as I said before, I didn't have too many clothes to change into so I often had wear clothes a little longer than I probably should have. You got lucky though because this video is definitely before those two because I'm still ..." Leo froze suddenly and his hands began twisting inside of his toolbelt. The look on his face was like a startled rabbit to Percy who stared uncomprehendingly at the increasingly distraught boy in front of him.

"Oh gods, she can't show you this." The motions of Leo's hands were becoming more rapid as Leo stared pleadingly at the ceiling, like he was begging Hera for mercy. If the situation wasn't so serious, Percy would have snorted at the though of mercy. Hera would see her plans through no matter who's feelings got hurt in the process.

Percy snapped back to attention as Leo suddenly burst into flame. Both Jason and Percy had to launch themselves off the couch (which was somehow fireproof, though this wasn't a time to focus on that) to avoid being inadvertently cindered by their friend. Their friend who had now drawn his knees up to his chest in a way that was eerily similar to the young Leo's position in the first video. He was muttering what Percy could only assume were Spanish curses under his breath and Percy ached to help his friend, an almost impossible goal as he couldn't even touch the boy. The torment he felt was reflected in Jason's eyes and Percy truly wanted to rip Hera apart for this. Hadn't she screwed with them enough? Why did she have to do this to the usually cheerful member of the team.

His hands clenched as he had the grim realisation that the best way to help Leo through this was probably to get this memory over with as quickly as possible. His eyes reluctantly made their way to the screen and after a stagnant pause the video resumed playing. Leo's flames didn't diminish in the slightest, so Percy and Jason remained on the floor.

**(-Warning! This is were the scenes of child abuse will happen. I will put a notice were this memory ends if you want to skip it-)**

_The door slammed open, and Leo jumped like a skittish mouse at the noise. A woman who couldn't have been more then 25 years of age sauntered threw and gave Leo a dark glare. Her ice-blonde hair was tied into a sleek ponytail that bobbed above her thin shoulders. Her figure was stunning and it was encased in beautiful, pale blue dress that perfectly matched her clear blue eyes. Eyes that were staring at Leo with pure hatred, as if he was the most disgusting being on Earth. Her steps towards him were deceptively light as she was shrouded by an unmistakable aura of menace. _

_ "Leo, dearest, look at me" The command was said in a sickeningly, sweet as syrup voice that implied severe consequences, despite the word dearest that would have otherwise been a term of endearment, but coming from her rose bud lips it was a sharp knife pretending to be an innocent stick. Leo's eyes shuddered up, almost involuntarily. _

_ "I happened to get a call today from a concerned teacher, Leo, do you know why?" It was clearly a rhetorical question so Leo kept his mouth firmly shut. _

_ "Apparently she saw a worrying bruise on your wrist when you sleeve slipped down in class today." Leo was shaking now as the woman stood in front of the small boy, hands placed firmly on her hips. _

_ "Miss Teresa, I swear played it off, I told her I had slipped and simply forgotten the bruise, I promise she doesn't know anyt..." Leo's desperate pleading was cut off by a harsh slap across the face. His eyes filled with tears but he didn't cry out._

_ "You stupid brat!" a brutal kick found it's way into Leo's stomach and he curled into a noiseless ball to escape the pain, but this Teresa was obviously unsatisfied as she clenched her hand into Leo's black curls and ragged his head upwards to deliver another stinging slap across his face, followed by another kick to his ribs. Leo doubled up and the previously unshed tears started trickling down his face._

_ "I told you that no one should know anything! I said you'd get punished if anyone got suspicious. Be glad I don't have enough time to get my belt." Her perfectly manicured nails latched on to his wrist, yanking up his sleeve. A trail of bruises of varying colours were revealed. This had clearly been going on for quite a while. The nails suddenly dug into the thin wrist, and Leo yelped as bloody red crescents welled up in the shape of a was unceremoniously dragged up the stairs and thrown into a small room. The door was locked behind him Teresa called back one last remark._

_ "Pray that I'm in a better mood when I return you dumb waste of space or you'll wish that it had been you instead of mummy trapped in that warehouse. " She swept down the stairs, leaving Leo to sob into his hands in front of the locked door. The sobs were noiseless but they caused almost violent spasms to rock Leo's body. After a few minutes, Leo pulled himself up and replaced his sleeve over the damning marks on his wrist. Mechanically he reached under the threadbare old mattress that lay on the bed ,which was one of the only pieces of furniture in the room, and pulled out the same backpack seen in the other videos. There was a relatively small window nestled into the back wall, and Leo flung it open before fastening his backpack on and stepping onto the narrow window ledge. The clip ended with Leo leaping from the window onto a nearby tree and shinning down it before scaling the wall that surrounded the garden. He dropped into the nearest alley as the sky started darkening and the image looked like the beginning of the freerunning clip._

**(-Memory over-)**

The room was silent if you ignored the faint sniffles that came from Leo. Leo who was undoubtedly one of the friendliest, happiest guys Percy had ever met. Leo who had gone through so much crap in his life, only for that despicable piece of trash to hurt him. Rage welled up within Percy. No kid deserved that, especially not one like Leo who had already suffered so much at such a young age. He wanted to kill that woman, slowly. He was startled from his murderous thoughts when Jason leapt up from his position on the floor and stalked over to the nearest wall, just before he pulled his fist back and, with an almost inhuman yell of pure anger, punched the wall full force. A sizeable crater was left behind as small sparks of pure electricity danced across Jason's skin.

He made his way stiffly back to the couch and, completely ignoring the flames that were pouring from the small Latino, wrapped Leo into the tightest hug that Percy had ever seen. The flames died instantly as Leo's arms made their way around Jason's back, his head pressed into the son of Jupiter's shoulder in an attempt to stifle the heartbreaking noises emitting from his mouth and to stem the floods that were trailing down his cheeks. Percy had never hated water, but as he saw the tear tracks on Leo's face in the brief moment before the boy's face burrowed into Jason's shoulder, he was seriously falling out with his element. Leo Valdez crying was wrong, in the same way a fire user producing water was. Their was just something so fundamentally wrong with seeing the usually upturned mouth facing downwards with distress, that Percy's stomach twisted in a thousand different ways.

His arms joined Jason's in a protective circle around Leo, as if to shield him from the atrocities of humankind, though from the videos both boys knew that their efforts were in vain. Leo had seen the worst of humanity and yet he could still smile every day. The boy was damn strong. Piper's arms joined the duo, and with virtually no hesitation, Hazel also flung herself into the group hug. Frank's arms were more hesitant, though they too sort to comfort their sobbing friend. They hoped that Hera would give them a few moments to comfort their friend, but they weren't that lucky. A new scene appeared on the screen. It was the image of a workshop.

* * *

I'm sorry that this chapter was so sad, and next chapter is going to be worse (you can probably guess what memory that's going to be). However, I think it's best that I get two of Leo's absolute worst memories out the way together so that the others can give him some well deserved comfort. Feel free to review, and if there are any other moments from the books that you think should be mentioned (I have some ideas but I want to hear yours as well) then don't hesitate to ask.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks to anyone who faved or followed and buckle up for another sad chapter. Also, I won't be copying the all of the scene word for word as I am going to have to adjust the tenses/words slightly to make it work in the style of the rest of the story.

Catsrawesome : Thank you for all the reviews and for the fave :)

Awesometacos : I'm glad that I kept them in character and if you live off of hurt/comfort then you will probably love this chapter.

Winekita : Thank you for being constructive with your criticism, I appreciate it. Honestly, I got so carried away with writing that I kind of forgot to edit. I'm sorry for that and once I've finished this chapter I will go back and edit the previous chapter. I will never be offended by criticism if it is constructive, especially if you point out ways to fix it.

Fantasiedreamar : Sorry but this chapter is also going to be a sad one, happy memories will come soon though.

The chosen sea's : You are not alone with the painful feels or the forbidden crush on Leo :)

Our Mismatched Socks : I'm glad that you liked it and I'll be working on fixing the paragraphs.

Nyx's Fist : I'm happy that you like it even it's like an addiction :)

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I know! It annoys me that Leo confesses something like that and they don't even question it. In this story they will be a lot more attentive.

QueenofLothlorien : You'll find out about James soon (and thanks for catching the reference).

Killua minamoto : There may be some more child abuse scenes in the future and there will definitely be more scenes in foster homes (and I do understand you so don't worry).

Abigail the Hedgehog : Sorry for making you cry (though thanks for saying that it's sweet/emotional).

Great Faith : Yep poor Leo has such a sad past :(

Latias876 : No he didn't deserve all of the suffering, though it makes him even cuter in my eyes.

Disclaimer : Leo's still not mine. Sob.

* * *

Leo's P.O.V

Leo couldn't believe that Hera had showed them that! As if they didn't already see him as weak, they had just seen him getting beaten up and not even trying to defend himself. He tried to struggle out of the group hug and just managed to poke his head over the towering form of Frank Zhang. What he saw sent a chill through him that was colder than anything Khione could have produced. His friends seemed to realise that Leo had gone completely still as they released him slowly. Some part of his mind noticed that Percy had already turned towards the screen, but the rest of him was too deep in denial to notice Piper also turning to the screen and gasping slightly. The cold feeling in his stomach was suddenly replaced by a burning rage that spread throughout his scrawny frame. He refused to watch this, and he wouldn't let his friends watch it either.

Within seconds, Leo was attacking the tv with a mix of hammers and flames. His anger and pain fuelled him and his fire was growing hotter and hotter. He noticed absent-mindedly that his friends were backing up to avoid his fire. Frank looked terrified and Hazel was clutching her coat where Leo assumed Frank's lifeline was kept. He knew he should stop, he was putting his friends in danger, but the anger inside of him was all-consuming. Hera had shown them his evil aunt, one of his stints in a sewer and his abusive foster mom. She couldn't expect him to watch this. He couldn't. Tears of sadness, frustration and pure desperation evaporated as soon as they formed due to the insane level of heat that Leo was emitting. He was now only faintly aware of his friends crying out to him, as he attempted to destroy the current source of his misery. And failed. He wasn't doing any damage to the goddamn telly!

Flames enveloped him completely, then he suddenly felt dizzy. His legs gave out on him, and he collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. The fire gradually died down to reveal his friends staring at him in horror.

His last thought, before he passed out was "Great, now they definitely know how dangerous I am". His world turned black.

Piper's P.O.V

Piper was still shaken over the previous memory. Leo had been beaten by that evil witch. How dare she hurt Piper's unofficial little brother? What gave her the right to touch Leo who was such a cheerful, kind person?

As the group hug dissolved, Piper realised that Leo had gone completely rigid. At first, she thought it was because Leo hadn't been expecting them all to hug him like that, but her gaze followed his to the screen and she realised that the next memory was probably going to be much worse. She was about to turn back to comfort Leo when he erupted into flames and began attacking the screen viciously.

Her worry sky-rocketed as the heat increased. They were all backing away from their out of control friend, but it was getting hotter, as if they were getting closer to the flames. She remembered what had happened the last time Leo produced such an intense flame to use against Ma Gasket, and how he had almost collapsed afterwards. This was so much worse. At least back then it had only been one stream of fire. Now his entire body was wreathed in dancing flames that were hotter than Hades.

She was dimly aware that her friends were all trying to get Leo to snap out of it, but she was frozen. The brief glimpses of Leo's face revealed that he was in so much emotional pain. And Piper couldn't believe that she had never noticed just how depressed her friend was.

The fire tornado was slowing down, and Piper witnessed Leo fall to his knees in the midst of the dying embers. His eyes flicked up to meet the gazes of her friends and the pained look in them filled Piper with horror. And then Leo's eyes rolled back into his head and he toppled forwards. Jason lunged forward instinctively and caught him, just in time to stop Leo's head cracking on the floor. Her boyfriend gently placed the unconscious demigod onto the miraculously unsinged couch before turning to the others with pure anguish in his eyes. Piper shuddered as she surveyed the rest of her friends. Hazel was sobbing into Frank's arms, and the big guy was just staring numbly at Leo. Annabeth's hand was clenched in Percy's, and it was hard to tell who out of the two of them needed the comfort most.

Piper felt like flinging herself into Jason's arms, but she couldn't. She had a goddess to shout at.

"What in the name of Hades do you think you are playing at, Hera!" Piper felt the astonished looks from her friends, but at this moment, Leo was more important. And to protect her friend, Piper was willing to unleash the rage of the Queen of Olympus a million times over. No one hurt someone that Piper loved (and she did love her annoying, little, smart mouthed brother) without facing the consequences.

"I do not believe that this is a game, McLean." Hera's voice was calm as she teleported into the room, but her tone broached no argument. Naturally, the demigods didn't care about this.

"Then why are you hurting Leo so much?" Piper unintentionally allowed some charmspeak into her voice, but Hera simply stared down at her. In fact, a look of annoyance flitted across her face as she silently appraised the demigods before her.

"You accuse me of hurting the boy which shows just how little you know of him," The demigods bristled with anger at the accusation, but Hera continued regardless, "The pain has been with Leo since before you met him, the child is just good at hiding it. I am not hurting him, I am trying to help you understand what he has gone through."

Hera shook her head and disappeared. A table bearing ambrosia replaced her, and the goddess gave them a final message, her voice echoing throughout the room which she had just departed from.

"Feed that to him and he will awaken. Once you have gotten through this memory, I will give you time to comfort him."

Piper didn't want to force Leo into facing this, but she knew they needed to get it over with so that they could help Leo move on. She strode over to the small table with determination and took the supplies over to Leo, before tenderly helping him to swallow small portions of ambrosia.

After a few tense moments, the small Latino sputtered awake. He glanced up at Piper before flicking his eyes to the screen. His hand clenched. His head dipped and his shoulders slumped in resignation.

"She's making us all watch it, isn't she?" The statement was quiet and the tone was emotionless. Piper pulled him into a hug. Shimmering brown eyes turned up to her in shock, and Piper realised that Leo had seen the horror on their faces and thought that they hated him.

"We were worried about you, repair boy. We're here for you." Her words were spoken fondly, and Leo relaxed into the hug a little more. The others drifted back onto the couch in the same positions as before, except for Percy and Jason. As Piper was hugging his right side, where Jason had been sitting previously, Jason took the spot on the left instead and his arms wrapped around his best friend and his girlfriend. Percy ignored he couch and sat in front of Leo like a loyal guard dog, his head resting gently on Leo's knees to remind him that they were all there for him. It started.

_In the memory, eight year old Leo walked with his mother from the workshop, through the warehouse and into the break room. His mom reached into her pocket, clearly searching for something _(Piper assumed that she was looking for her keys)_, but gave up after a few minutes._

_"That's funny" she said, frowning. "I know I had them. Wait here, mijo. I'll only be a minute." She smiled at him before walking back into the warehouse._

Piper wasn't sure if it was the term of endearment "mijo", the assurance that she'd "only be a minute", or the loving smile that set Leo off, but when he broke into noiseless sobs, her arms tightened around him. Jason also tightened his hold and Percy leant a little heavier on the Latino's legs. Piper was determined to help Leo through this. She was slightly startled when Hazel slipped of the couch and sat next to Percy, resting against both Leo and Percy. Annabeth sat on the other side of her boyfriend, and although she didn't join the others in resting on Leo, she did reach up and squeeze his knee gently. Frank looked a bit lost for a minute, he was too big to join the huddle, but then his face brightened slightly as he turned into a Labrador puppy and sat on Leo's lap. Leo let out a wet snort before running one of his hands through Frank's fur.

_A few heartbeats after Leo's mom had left the room, the interior door slammed shut. A second later, the exterior door locked itself._

_"Mom?" Leo looked worried as he called for his mother. Something heavy crashed inside the warehouse. Little Leo ran over to the door and started pulling and kicking it, but the door wouldn't open._

_He yelled "Mom?" again before tapping a message frantically on the wall. As with the Spanish in the earlier videos, subtitles came up for the morse code. "You okay?"_

_"She can't hear you," a voice said _(off screen the demigods who had heard Gaia's voice before tensed).

_Leo turned to face the woman dressed in black robes with a veil covering her face._

_"Tia?" He asked. The woman chuckled, slowly and gently, as if she were half asleep._

_"I am not your guardian. Merely a family resemblance."_

_"What - what do you want? Where's my mom?"_

_"Ah ... loyal to your mother. How nice. But you see, I have children, too ... and I understand you will fight them some day. When they try to wake me, you will prevent them. I cannot allow that."_

Both Piper and Jason hissed "Medea" and the others, except for Leo, looked at them in confusion.

"She's the one who told Gaia that I would try to stop her" Leo's voice was shaky with tears, and his fingers continued to drag through puppy Frank's fur. Frank allowed it, he had obviously realised that Leo needed something to do with his hands.

_"I don't know you. I don't want to fight anybody."_

Everyone looked saddened at that, as demigods they didn't really have a choice. It was fight or be killed and it had been that way forever. Still, hearing an innocent child version of Leo confess that he didn't want to fight hurt all of them. He obviously wanted to live his life in peace but Gaia had to mess up his life.

_Gaia muttered "A wise choice." Leo's eyes widened, he had evidently realised that Gaia was asleep and that her clothes were made of dark, churning earth. Her barely visible, sleeping face was surrounded by a curtain of dust. It looked as she had risen from the grave._

_"I cannot destroy you yet," Gaia murmured. "The Fates will not allow it. But they do not protect your mother, and they cannot stop me from breaking your spirit. Remember this night, little hero, when they ask you to oppose me."_

_"Leave my mother alone!" Fear was visible on Leo's face as Gaia shuffled forward in a way more reminiscent of an avalanche than a person._

_"How will you stop me?" She whispered as she walked straight through a table, her particles reassembling on the other side. She loomed over Leo. His hands caught on fire._

_A sleepy smile spread across Gaia's face, as if she'd already won. Little Leo screamed in desperation and flames covered the room. He lost consciousness. The screen, mercifully, went black._

Leo was shaking rather violently, and Piper noticed Jason subtly expunging small fires on the boy's trembling body.

"It's okay, Leo, it's over." Piper had hoped to comfort Leo with her words, but the opposite seemed to happen. Leo sprang up, dislodging puppy Frank who yelped before landing on Percy's head. Leo scrambled away from the group (an impressive feat considering how closely they had all been sitting.)

"No, it's not over." His hands fisted into his hair tightly. Everyone was watching him with concern and, admittedly, some confusion. Piper was about to ask what he meant, when Leo whirled around. The tears were still streaming down his face, erasing previous tracks and forging their own, but his eyes were now angry.

"It's not over until Earth Lady's dead, and you don't seem to understand how dangerous I am. I killed my own mother, yet you don't seem to realise that I can't control myself. I mean, Frank and Hazel still hang out with me when I could literally kill Frank with a temper tantrum. Why do you keep me on-board the Argo? I'm sure Annabeth could learn to fly and repair it, and lets face it, no one needs me there personally. I'm the seventh wheel." At the end of his tirade, Leo stood, hands balled into fists at his sides and flames weaving through his messy hair.

Everyone stared at Leo in shock. Was this really how Leo felt? Piper felt her own hands curl into fists as she realised that they had all coupled up and allowed Leo to feel this way.

"I _hate_ Nemesis" Hazel hissed this vehemently as she ran up to Leo and forcibly pulled him into a hug. Leo tried to pull away, and Hazel let him though she gazed at him fiercely. Piper was still trying to get over Leo's confessions, never mind the fact that Hazel could hate someone so viciously.

"What she said was true, I don't belong with you guys."

"Don't you dare say that." This time it was Jason that shocked Piper, as the anger in his voice was evident. Leo looked into Jason's stormy, blue eyes, and the sadness in their depths visibly stunned him. He shifted and one of his hands reached into his toolbelt to fiddle with some wires.

"Without you, we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't have had transport for this quest or to rescue Hera without you." Jason was staring at Leo, obviously hoping that Leo would acknowledge his own self worth. Leo's eyes turned defiant.

"The Romans wouldn't hate us if it wasn't for me." All of the demigods cringed at this (especially Percy and Annabeth who had given Leo the hardest time over that).

"You were possessed Leo." Piper broke in soothingly.

"I was weak!" Leo practically spat those words at his friend, who was stunned at this admission. Then Leo sagged, his posture drooping. The fight had left him with those words, and he sank to the floor.

"If I was stronger, people wouldn't be able to use me. My mom would still be alive, Medea wouldn't have turned me against Jason and the Roman's would be our friends." Leo was crying quietly, and his knees were tugged to his chest, the project in his toolbelt once again forgotten.

"Leo, you're one of the strongest people I know." Percy sat next to the smaller boy, and placed an arm over his shoulders. When Leo shook his head before burying it into his knees, Percy shifted so that he was sitting in front of him. Piper marvelled at the gentle way Percy lifted Leo's chin so that their eyes met.

"You have been through so much yet you are always ready with a joke or a quip to make a situation seem better. If you were weak then you wouldn't be able to keep smiling, yet you smile to almost spite your past. Gaia didn't break you, Leo."

Leo took a shuddering breath, and Jason joined the duo on the floor.

"Dude, you fought three cyclopses on your own to rescue me and Piper and you used your head to get out of the situation with Narcissus. You are way stronger than you think."

Piper decided it was her turn.

"Leo, you ate those brownies that Jason made in the Wilderness school without needing a paramedic, you can't deny that only someone who was strong could manage that." Leo looked at Piper with a watery smile while Jason pretended to be mildly offended.

"Those brownies were pretty lethal," Leo's smile grew and the relief was palpable when he started joking about Jason's failed cooking attempts. Leo was back, and he may not be completely all right yet, but at least he wasn't trying to destroy anything in a mindless rage anymore.

"And you seem to have pretty decent control over your power, but we all have accidents sometimes," Leo gave Percy a very disbelieving look when he said that.

"I'm serious, I once blew up the camp's toilets when I lost control." They all laughed at that, but then Leo's face turned serious again. They all stiffened in anticipation of another confession.

"I have a question, Annabeth." Annabeth looked over at him, warily.

"If octopus goes to octupi, and cactus goes to cacti, why doesn't cyclops go to cyclopi?"

Piper face-palmed.

* * *

I think that this was my longest chapter yet :) So all of Leo's issues have been sorted, or have they ;) Hope you enjoyed, and as always, please feel free to review.


	7. Chapter 7

As per usual, thanks to all my lovely follows and faves. This chapter should be a little more cheerful than the last one, but don't expect Leo to be all fixed up just yet. Also, I'm going to attempt a point of view that I haven't done yet so please be patient with me if I don't keep them completely in character.

Fantasiedreamar : I definitely think that the LHL would be a great idea, we could sit and cry about Leo's tragic back story together.

Great Faith : You're very welcome and I hope the wait wasn't too long :)

QueenofLothlorien : Thank you for pointing that out (I can't believe that I made such a stupid mistake!) It has been fixed now.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I know, it's really cute how they make their own little family. I think that Leo sees her and Jason as his relatives (and maybe some of the others).

AutumnstripeOlympus : Yes I did, this has also been fixed so thanks for helping me out.

Catsrawesome : Thank you so much! I really hoped to do the memory justice as I believe it was one of the most pivotal moments of Leo's life.

Latias876 : I think that it just makes what he accomplishes even more awesome because he overcomes so much.

DamnYouPeopleWithCoolUserNames : Ooh, I like the idea of school productions so thanks :)

Nyx's Fist : Hello again! I'll just have to keep updating to keep you alive then.

Our Mismatched Socks : How did you find out? I mean, of course I don't have a Leo torture chamber hidden in my garden shed, nope not at all.

QueenofLothlorien : That's an interesting idea, I think that maybe he would so look out for it in later chapters.

Disclaimer : I don't think that I can be trusted with something as precious as the Percy Jackson world. I also don't own Five Nights At Freddy's.

* * *

Leo's P.O.V

Everyone had returned to the couch in their original positions, and Leo was relieved to notice that no one had seemed to notice the fact that his hands were still shaking slightly. Just in case, though, he shoved his hands back into his tool belt. His hand came across the item that had he had been fiddling with. With a furtive glance at Annabeth, who was most likely to scold him for this, he pulled out a small, toy version of Freddy Fazbear. Leo needed to something, anything, to keep his mind off what they had just watched. He had made a joke and tried to laugh it off, but it still hurt. Hadn't Hera brought them here to learn more about him? Then why hadn't they noticed that he had fell back on his old fail-safe of humour to get out of an awkward situation? Leo realised that he should be happy about this, no more Leo pity sessions for him to reinforce the fact that he was the weakest. A small part of Leo, a part that he instantly tried suppress, said that maybe he had wanted the others to see through his façade and help him out.

Leo shook his head slightly and decided to press the almost invisible button on his toy Freddy's back. Just like with his Ma Gasket earlier, the toy sprang to life and began playing the creepy Freddy death song. He swore that the others wet themselves, before turning to glare at him (though the glares were noticeably softer than before, maybe they had realised that Leo was still hurting from the last video.)

Percy gave him a small smirk, before he started humming along. Annabeth swiftly whacked him on the head.

"What have I told you about not encouraging him, Seaweed Brain?"

"I wasn't, I just recognise the awesomeness that is Five Nights At Freddy's."

The screen flickered on, and Leo prayed to any of the Gods who might possibly be listening at that moment for this to be a good memory.

_A tiny Leo, of about four years of age, was by a cow pasture that was filled with tall grass. A figure that was clearly Hera disguised as Tia Callida stood next to him holding a stick. In front of Leo was a rattlesnake that was eyeing the boy and the Goddess warily. Hera made a motion, as if to urge Leo to poke the snake before handing the stick to the tiny child._

_"Where is your bravery, little hero? Show me the Fates were right to choose you."_

_Leo stared into the snake's amber eyes, but refrained from moving towards it. The snake then turned it's gaze completely on Hera with a look that seemed to say, are you nuts lady? before it disappeared into the tall grass._

Frank's P.O.V

"She tried to make you poke a SNAKE?" Hazel practically shrieked.

"She also tried to get me to juggle knives and left me sleeping in a fireplace once. I refused to poke that snake though because it didn't seem fair." Leo shrugged, as if what Hera had done was normal. Frank felt a little sick as he realised that Leo had never lived a truly ordinary life. Hera had been messing with him since he was just a toddler. And he was again being prepared for a fight that the little boy wanted no part in. In a similar way to Gaia killing Leo's mother to try and stop him being a threat, Hera was manipulating him into becoming a fighter.

He could faintly here Annabeth muttering that the bovine Goddess was next to a cow pasture where she belonged, and the others ranting about how Goddesses shouldn't let young children play with knives until they were at least ten (well they are demigods). Frank was more than a little overwhelmed at everything that they had seen.

To be honest, Frank had kind of thought that Leo was just an annoying clown since the day they had met. He had just always seemed prepared with a sarcastic comment or a joke and Frank had been the brunt of most of Leo's jokes. Now he felt horrible. Leo had been beaten by his foster mom and his power had been used against him in such a horrific way. Yeah, Frank's mom had also been killed, but at least he had never been told by the crazy personification of the Earth that he had killed her. He was starting to regret the way he had acted whenever Leo had used his powers. Sure, the guy could kill him in seconds, but he wouldn't hurt him on purpose. Frank knew that for definite after Leo had mentioned his fear of hurting people with his powers after the video. Frank felt even worse when he remembered that he himself had used his powers to drop Leo into a horde of angry Romans, even if that was mostly an accident.

Before Frank could make himself truly depressed over the way he had been treating Leo (I mean, he had hit on his girlfriend and he did take every opportunity to make fun of him, but Frank hadn't exactly tried to make friends with Leo either,) another video appeared on screen.

_Eleven year old Leo was back, and he was sitting in a bright bedroom with James from the other video. His head was buried in James' stomach, and his back was rising and falling unsteadily. James had his hand carding lovingly through Leo's hair, though he was biting on his lip pretty heavily. A loud argument was going on downstairs, and whenever a voice raised to the point of shouting, Leo would whimper softly._

_"We can't afford to adopt him, Allen. We're struggling as it is, just think what it's going to be like trying to get them a good education. We need to focus on James" This was called out by a distinctly feminine voice, a voice that was tinged by weariness, as if this was a repeat of a conversation that had been played out a million times._

_"But he's our son, Julie. We can't let him be sent off to another home" The male, who had been identified as Allen, was shouting in a plaintive voice that sounded like it was on the brink of tears._

_"He's not our child Allen, though if we could afford it I would consider adopting him."_

_Leo flinched as if he had been struck, and James started rubbing his back as well as ruffling his black curls. He was sending a fierce glare to the bedroom door as the younger boy seemed to try to burrow deeper into his stomach, as if that could stop them from taking him away._

_"How can you say that? Do you not see that he has become a part of the family, even your parents love him? Do you not care about what happens to him?" Allen's voice was angry. Julie's was angrier._

_"Of course I care, I love the boy! But we can't afford this and it hurts me as well. But we can't look after them both, and James must come first." Her voice turned into a sob, and the sound of a door slamming rang through the house, with all the weight of a death knell._

_Soft footsteps were heard as tears leaked down James' cheeks as he clutched the boy who had become his younger brother. A man _(Frank guessed that this was Allen) _who was the spitting image of James if you discounted his dark, blue eyes, peeped around the bedroom door. His face twisted with anguish as he witnessed the position of the two boys. Leo turned to face him, with the comforting weight of James' arms around his shoulders. His face was streaked with tears, and his eyes radiated pain._

_Allen lifted his arms, and both boys leapt into them._

_"She didn't mean any of that Leo, you are our so. We both love you, and I will fight for you, okay?" Leo smiled at him softly, yet the look in his eyes spoke of great sadness._

_"I love you both as well, dad." Leo's words were laced with fondness but a brief undercurrent of regret seeped into them. Evidently, Allen didn't quite hear the catch in Leo's voice as he gave the boys one last squeeze before retreating from the room._

"Oh no ..." Piper murmured. Percy leant on Leo gently and Jason's arm draped itself over his friend's shoulders. Frank wanted to ask what was wrong, but he didn't want to come across as insensitive. He couldn't help shooting a brief glare at the ceiling and hoping that Hera could see that he wasn't pleased with her upsetting his friends, again. Now that he had realised that Leo was actually his friend - albeit an often annoying one - he felt a little protective of him (though with Piper, Jason and Percy seeming to take him under there figurative wings, he probably didn't need an overgrown Chinese-Canadian looking out for him.)

_The screen faded out slowly, and the words 3 hours later popped up. The video resumed playing. James and Leo were lying in one of the beds that resided in the bedroom. It was obvious that both had needed some brotherly comfort after the scene before. Leo snuggled into James a little more and the older boy yawned loudly._

_"Night little bro, love you." The words were blearily but the affection in them was crystal clear._

_"Te amo mi hermano." Translations popped up again, revealing that Leo had said I love you brother. _

Hazel next to him cooed under her breath at how adorable Leo was. Frank gave her a weird look as the Leo in the video was only two years younger than her. Nevertheless, and Frank wouldn't reveal this even under torture, Leo was kind of adorable when he was younger.

_After just a few minutes, James was snoring peacefully. Leo reached up and tucked a stray piece of James' hair back and kissed his forehead gently._

_"No te olvidaré" (I wont forget you) He whispered before delicately untangling himself from the taller boy. His movements were virtually silent as he padded over to the other bed that was on the other side of the room. He reached underneath it and pulled out the familiar black rucksack before he began packing items into it quickly. One thing packed was the black outfit from the abuse video. _

"Wait, was this the home just before you went to live with that harpy?" Piper emphasized the word harpy with a savage tone and Frank shuddered. All the girls in their group were downright terrifying when they went into over protective mode.

"Yes it was." Leo's voice was suspiciously cheerful considering the fact that he was watching yet another family member lost (even though this was through running away not through death).

_A piece of paper was pulled out of a nearby schoolbook, and a pen was found in the top drawer of the desk that stood between the two beds and below the only window in the room. Leo wrote intently for a few minutes, then he folded the note and placed it on top of the desk. He opened the window and, with one last look at the place that had slowly been becoming home, he dived through the window to start the race against social services again. _

_The screen shifted to an image of the note, and any spelling mistakes that had been made by the dyslexic demigod were corrected._

_Dear Allen, Julie and James,_

_It is not fair on your family if I stay here. James, you are a wonderful person and you deserve the full attention and resources of your purpose. Allen, Julie, you both should be able to focus all your love on your actual child instead of having to take care of me as well. I think it's best for everyone if I leave, I can't bear causing you to argue anymore. James, we will be brothers forever, regardless of where I am. I love you and goodbye, from Leo Valdez (aka the taco snatcher.)_

Leo snickered and everyone turned to him in disbelief. He flashed them his typical, evil pixie grin.

"I would rather remember the good memories that we had together then dwell on the way I left them." Leo passed his Freddy Fazbear to the delighted Percy and began a new project.

"So, what's the story about the taco snatcher?" Jason gave Leo a teasing grin, and Leo's ears were suddenly tinged red. Frank's interest was piqued, but Leo was shaking his head with a sheepish look.

"You'll more than likely see it later, and I don't want to spoil the surprise."

Percy looked ready to protest when another video started.

"Be glad this video is starting or you would be telling us exactly what the great taco snatcher was."

_A fourteen year old Leo was strolling down a cheerful street. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a plain, grey pullover hoodie. His head was bobbing to a beat that only he could hear and he looked relaxed. That was when a fire engine raced bast him, sirens blaring._

_For a moment, Leo paused, and then he was sprinting after the fire engine. And he was fast._

_Both the truck and the boy stopped by a large throng of people. The image of a burning house was imprinted on the sky, and Leo sucked in a sharp breath. He began weaving his way through the crowd like a shadow, slipping through the smallest gasp._

_In front of the burning building, a couple stood sobbing. The chief fireman was talking to them urgently as the other fire fighters unfurled hoses to try and bring the blaze under control._

_The male member of the couple suddenly wailed that their child was still in there. The firemen looked at the house desperately and Leo's hands tightened into fists. He yanked his hood over his distinctive black hair rapidly and then darted towards the house. Some people attempted to garb him, to pull him back, but Leo was too fast. He ducked into the blazing house._

_It was like a nightmarish vision as children's toys melted and beams collapsed, yet Leo just ran up the staircase. The flames couldn't hurt him, but if the house collapsed than his powers wouldn't save him._

_Choking could be heard from the furthest room, though it was faint. The child had obviously inhaled some smoke. Leo dodged falling debris and managed to leap over a beam that was blocking the door to the child. A small girl, no older than five, was sobbing on the bed as the flames drew closer and closer, trapped by a pile of rubble._

_Leo unburied her as quickly as he could and then picked the girl up hurriedly. She stared at him dazedly._

_"Are you a *cough* angel?" She asked, though her speech was stunted by coughing fits. Leo gave her a winning smile as he made his way to the child's window._

_"Yes and in a minute I'm going to fly you down to safety so I need you to hold on tight, okay?" The girl nodded obediently and Leo grinned. The way back was too dangerous, and Leo had to get the girl out soon._

_"Okay, I need you to close your eyes for me little princess so that I can heroically fly you to safety." The girl nestled her head into Leo's shoulder as he opened the window. The crowd below started screaming, but Leo ignored them. He stepped confidently onto the ledge, before he leapt out of the window, the child held tightly to his chest._

_When he reached the ground, he rolled expertly and held the girl out to her parents. He had landed right in front of the sobbing adults, who snatched the child out of his arms while thanking him profusely. Leo turned and darted away before anyone could get a hold of him._

The demigods were all slightly stunned. Leo had just sprinted into a dangerous situation to save a small child before he even learnt of his true destiny.

Percy snorted, "I can't believe that she thought you were an angel."

* * *

So, another few memories down, I hope that it the scene with James wasn't too sad. I also apologise if any of the Spanish is incorrect, I simply study the language, I am not fluent in it. I also apologise for any mistakes that I have missed, please feel free to point them out as long as you do so kindly then I honestly appreciate the help.


	8. Chapter 8

So the others now know that Leo has always been a little hero, whether he sees it that way or not. Also, the opinions shown by one of the characters later on about dyslexia are definitely not my own and I think that anyone who thinks like he does should reconsider as I know many people who are dyslexic and are incredibly hard working. The song I use may not have came out when Leo was the age that I have him singing it but I think the song fits so please just let it slide. Thanks again to anyone who has faved or followed.

Our Mismatched Socks : Well you all take the time to tell me what you think, so I think that it's only fair that I take the time to reply. And yes, Leo is incredibly sweet.

Hscrooney : Thank you, and though I do sometimes check with Google translate, it's not always accurate.

Catsrawesome : Thanks, I am glad that you found them sweet.

Guest : I don't really know what's so funny about the word telly but thank you for reviewing.

Elia the Huntress : Thanks for saying that it's awesome and I'll try to keep that in mind for future memories. Also, thanks for the offer of translation help, I would be very grateful if you could double check my Spanish :) I was planning on adding some references to Gabe's treatment of Percy so watch out for them.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I'm happy that you enjoyed the chapter (sorry for getting you scared though.) I have never played it myself but I have watched loads of videos on it and I just thought that Leo would like it as it has animatronics.

QueenofLothlorien : I'm so relieved that you think I got Frank's P.O.V right, and yes I will be doing different P.O.V.s (and how can anyone not think that Leo's adorable, no one is immune not even Chinese-Canadian baby men).

Awesometacos : I love heroic Leo too, and I think that as he lost someone to fire, he would do everything in his power to prevent anyone else suffering like he has.

Guest : You'll just have to wait and see ;)

Killua minamoto : I don't like leaving the updates too long, so I'm glad that you appreciate it :) I think that Hermanito would mean little brother though. I'm also glad that you like the way I portray Leo.

Disclaimer : If I was the proud owner of Percy Jackson than I wouldn't have to write fanfiction (though I probably would anyway). I don't own the Lion King nor Avatar either. Oh, I don't own the songs either.

* * *

Hazel's P.O.V

As Hazel watched the heroic actions of Leo, she couldn't help thinking of the way Sammy had always saved her from bullies. Percy and Leo were bickering about why the little girl had believed that Leo was an angel, with Annabeth interjecting every now and again about how it was probably a bad idea to tell the girl that he was an angel.

Piper and Jason were staring at Leo, and their expressions made them look like parents who didn't know whether to praise Leo's bravery or scold his recklessness. Hazel was amused by the fact that they probably didn't know what they looked like. Frank was appraising Leo as if he everything he knew about him was a lie. And perhaps it was, Frank had never really tried to get along with Leo, and Hazel wasn't stupid enough to think that it wasn't partially due to her. She was glad that Frank seemed to be warming up to Leo.

" I was just doing what anyone in my position would do." Hazel snapped out of her reverie as Leo started protesting that he hadn't been that brave, after all, he had known that he was immune to fire.

"Yeah, but you weren't immune to houses falling on your head!" Hazel stared at Leo disbelievingly as he gave her an odd look.

" I still had an advantage over the fire crew," Leo seemed determined to downplay his actions, which confused Hazel. Over the past few weeks that they had travelled together, Leo had always seemed to enjoy letting other people know that he had defeated a monster or came up with a solution, but now he was trying to pretend that this act of bravery was nothing.

"But the're paid to risk their lives, you weren't" Piper was also giving Leo an odd look, and Hazel wondered if they were thinking the same thing. Leo simply shrugged, and all conversation was cut of by another video.

_The video was off a dark school hall that had rows of adults staring up at a stage,and if you looked closely enough you could see Esperanza Valdez sitting proudly in the front row. The stage was decorated to look like some form of Savannah. And standing on the stage were three boys. One of these boys was a seven year old Leo who was dressed in an adorable looking lion costume. He was wearing beige pants and a beige t-shirt. His feet were bare and a tail had been attached to the back of his pants. A pair of lion ears perched on his head. _

The boys were all snickering except for Leo who was blushing. Little flames sprouted from his nose which meant that Percy laughed even louder.

"Aww Leo that's adorable" Percy smirked teasingly and Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Says the one who just got given a toy and looked more excited than a kid on Christmas."

Hazel smiled as Percy looked properly chastised.

_The other boys were dressed in two different animal costumes _(Hazel recognised them as Pumba and Timon as they had watched the Lion King on one of their ship movie nights that Leo had insisted on.) _The boy that was dressed as Timon stepped forward and began singing:_

_"Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase."_

_Pumba kid jumped in with "Hakuna Matata, ain't no passing craze."_

_The two boys continued singing, until Leo broke in with the spoken part of the song._

Off screen, Percy was mouthing along to the song and Leo joined in, alternating so that Percy mouthed Timon's parts and Leo mouthed both Simba's and Pumba's. Hazel grinned but turned back to the screen.

_All three boys were dancing around as Timon boy and Pumba boy carried on singing. Finally, it got to the part where Leo joined in, with a surprisingly good voice :_

_"It means no worries, for the rest of your days," Timone interjected with "yeah, sing it kid" before they all sang "It's a problem free, philosophy. Hakuna Matata." _

The video cut off here, but Hazel could just imagine little lion Leo singing and dancing to the rest of the song. She couldn't help squealing, Leo had been beyond adorable. Leo was groaning as Percy, Frank and Jason ribbed him, though they all acknowledged that Leo was a good singer. As there wasn't much to discuss after that video, Hazel was sure that another would soon follow.

Percy's P.O.V

Percy couldn't help but smiling as he watched Leo dance around as Simba. He wouldn't usually say this, but Leo had been pretty cute as a kid. He was also happy to witness Leo laughing as they all teased him. Everyone knew that the kid needed a break. However, Percy noticed with concern that Leo was rubbing his ribs in the same place that the harpy foster mom had kicked him. He knew that after smelly Gabe had hit him (even though it had only been once or twice) the pain had lingered for a while. He wondered if watching the memory had kicked up some phantom pain. His fists clenched at the thought that even though Leo had escaped, the demon may still be hurting him. It wasn't a pleasant thought. Percy was thinking so deeply that he almost didn't notice the next memory starting.

_The deck of the Argo 2 was on screen. It was early morning and Leo was standing, shirtless in a pair of loose white cotton pants. None of the others were up top. Leo took a deep breath before sliding into a fighting stance. He weaved through a few moves that incorporated his fire. Leo looked graceful and at ease, until Jason appeared from below deck._

_Leo turned to see Jason staring at him with raised eyebrows._

_"It's my turn to take watch." Jason stated simply, obviously tired enough to dismiss any Valdez craziness. Leo practically sprinted away, leaving Jason on deck looking confused and tired. He turned to Festus._

_"I hope you know what he was doing because I have no clue." Festus creaked in reply._

Percy turned to high five Leo.

"You were pretending to be a fire bender, weren't you?" Leo nodded, and then his trademark grin that suggested that he shouldn't be allowed near sharp objects popped up.

"Hey, I can control fire, you've got water, Jason's got air and Hazel can basically control earth. We've got all of the elements!" Leo's excitement was tangible, and Percy felt his own grin widen.

"Please tell me that you aren't planning on having a battle based on Avatar." Annabeth's voice was muffled as she had buried her head in her hands in a futile attempt to ignore them. Percy laughed at his girlfriend who looked so done with them.

"Of course not, I was simply going to use the Argo in a three year journey to regain my honour." Leo flashed an impish grin at Annabeth who groaned. Percy smirked.

"Leo, I cannot let you capture Jason and take him to the fire lord!" Percy exclaimed, keeping the charade up. Hazel and Jason both looked baffled, and Frank looked just as done as Annabeth.

"You think that a water tribe peasant can stop me from regaining my honour?" Leo retorted. The boys mock glared at each other. They probably would have continued if it wasn't for the next video starting up.

_A sullen nine year old Leo sat in the back of a third grade classroom. A few dates and events were written on the board so it was evidently a history teacher, a mean looking man who resembled a predatory vulture with a beak-like nose and beady eyes, was reading out a list of marks and handing marked tests back. He was going in alphabetical order, and reading each mark out clearly, as if he intended to humiliate anyone with a low grade. Eventually, he was hovering over Leo with a somewhat cruel tilt to his mouth._

_"Leo Valdez, I thought it would be impossible for anyone to do so poorly, but you managed to astound me. Five out of thirty." Leo looked shocked and scanned over his paper._

_"Sir, I got some of these right and you've marked them wrong." Leo spoke up and the teacher turned around slowly, menacingly. _

_"If you made a mistake in spelling then they are wrong."_

_"But that's not fair! I'm dyslexic and ..." Leo was cut off by the angry teacher who advanced like and enraged bear._

_"Dyslexia is just an excuse for laziness, you cannot be bothered learning to spell and therefore you should be grateful that you even got five. I will not tolerate people answering back, especially not smart mouthed little boys who like to think that they are a lot smarter than they really are." Leo flushed red at the end of the teachers rant and the boy behind him laughed, then leaned in and whispered in his ear._

_"I'd ask if you were going to go cry to mommy, but we all know that isn't going to happen._

Leo was giving the screen daggers as he muttered in a mixture of Spanish and English about how much he hated that boy. Percy couldn't believe that a boy who was that young could be so cruel.

_Leo froze, then turned his head jerkily. He observed the smirk on the other boy's face then turned to see it reflected on the face of the teacher. He stood up calmly, then whirled around and launched his fist into the grinning boy's face. His nose crunched and a spurt of blood covered both children. Everyone in the classroom were clearly too surprised to move._

_The boy with the broken nose stood up, one hand covering his bleeding face and the other aimed at Leo in a clumsy punch. Leo jumped over the desk and tackled him to the floor, screaming that the boy had no right to talk about his mother. _

_At this point, the teacher finally snapped out of his stupor and raced to the boys and attempting to drag Leo off of the now crying boy. He snapped at another child to go get another teacher, and the girl dutifully ran of._

_Leo was now struggling against his teacher's grip in an attempt to reach the other boy who had scurried away in fear. Another teacher ran into the room, and together the two adults managed to drag the incoherent nine year old out of the room. Little Leo began cursing viciously in both English and Spanish, words that no nine year old should know._

_"LET GO OF ME!" He shrieked, still fighting against his escorts. Children poured out of classrooms to watch the commotion as other teachers rushed to aid the first two. Vulture man directed one to his classroom to deal with the bully. The video ended on Leo being dragged, kicking and screaming down a school corridor._

"How the hell did you know words like that at nine years old?" Piper asked immediately after the memory had ended. Leo gave her a look that said are you stupid?

"I was living in a home waiting for someone to foster me, the older children didn't really care who heard them swearing. "His answer was weary and a little embarrassed. Percy realised that Leo was probably ashamed of how he had acted.

"I'm glad you broke his nose!" Percy said with a savage grin at the screen. He hated anyone who hurt his friends, his fatal flaw was loyalty for Hades sake. Annabeth gave him a look, but he refused to be repentant. In that memory it was probably only a few months after the loss of Leo's mother and that bully decided to bring it up like it was nothing. And that teacher had tried to humiliate Leo for being dyslexic. Leo was a genius and that man thought he had the right to call him lazy.

Percy was dragged out of his rage by Leo's warm hand on his shoulder.

"Cool it, Aqua man, it happened a long time ago, and what I did to his face was probably worse than what he said to me." Percy was about to argue that the emotional pain that Leo must have suffered was way worse than a broken nose when Hazel cut in.

"What happened to you after that?" Leo began tinkering with another invention, and though he looked absorbed in his creation, Percy knew that he was thinking of a way to answer without making the soft hearted girl worry.

"Well, they excluded me for a few days, but the adults who worked in the home that I was staying in were furious and transferred me instantly." He shifted slightly and Percy squeezed his shoulder, returning the gesture from before. Leo gave him a small grin before turning to Hazel.

"I didn't really mind, the home wasn't the best so they actually did me a favour by getting rid of me." The tone was light, but Percy and the others were beginning to learn that Leo was better at faking being okay than anyone had realised.

Jason also put a hand on Leo's shoulder.

"Their loss." He muttered, and Leo shifted to lean against him ever so slightly. The next video flashed on as the demigods tried to push away the negativity that lingered after the previous video.

_Balloons and streamers covered the room that thirteen year old Leo was standing in. He was wearing black dress pants and an un-tucked crisp, white shirt with the top two buttons undone. Shiny black shoes were on his feet which contrasted the fact that his unruly black hair was messier than ever._

_Smartly dressed people were leaving the house, and Leo was leaning against a wall, smirking. After all the guests left, a beautiful girl walked in. Her chestnut hair reached just beyond her shoulders and her eyes were green-brown. It was obvious from the badge on her sparkly green party dress that Leo was attending her thirteenth birthday party._

_"So when is your foster dad coming to pick you up again?" The girl asked._

_"About an hour, he said that an emergency had come up and that he has to stay late." Leo walked forward and grabbed her hand excitedly._

_"Do you want to open your present now, Layla?" He was practically beaming as the girl nodded. Leo dragged her over to a table that was covered in unwrapped boxes, and plucked out the only present left. It was relatively small, but Layla held it reverently. Leo's face grew more nervous as she slowly removed the wrapping paper._

_Layla opened the box and removed a stunning locket. It was in the shape of a star and different messages had been carved into it._

_"I made it with some of the funny things that we've said to each other carved into it so if you ever feel down, you can have some great Valdez humour to cheer you up."_

_"It's gorgeous." Layla breathed as she ran her fingers over the lovingly crafted locket. Her fingers found a latch and she swiftly unclasped it. The video zoomed in on the inside of the locket to reveal a video of Leo singing Mirrors by Justin Timberlake. The camera panned out to reveal tears welling in Layla's eyes. Leo looked panicked._

_"If you don't like it, I can change the video or ..." Leo's words were cut of by Layla tugging him in for a kiss. Leo's eyes widened comically before he hesitantly returned the kiss._

Off screen, Piper screamed.

"OH MY GODS, THAT WAS ADORABLE! Were you dating? Was that your first kiss? Did you love her? Did you choose that song as a confession?" Piper was barraging the poor flame boy with questions as he sank deeper and deeper into the couch. Percy was surprised that he hadn't spontaneously combusted yet, especially as his powers made that a legitimate option.

"To answer your questions, no, yes, maybe and sort of" Leo looked so embarrassed and Percy and Jason gave each other a look over the top of his head. It was their job as honorary big brothers to tease Leo for this. And maybe they would have if it wasn't for Piper having a moment. As Aphrodite's daughter, she probably couldn't resist freaking out over her little brother's romance.

* * *

Aww, Leo's first kiss. And I got the idea for the mean third grader teacher from the book, thought the bully and Leo's reaction to the bully was based around a video I watched in sociology as it just made me think of Leo. Feel free to leave a review and I'll see you next time.


	9. Chapter 9

Okay, we have a pretty eclectic mix of memories this time so I hope you're ready. Thanks to all faves and follows and I hope you enjoy the chapter. Also, the cheerleader is based of TV show cheerleaders and I don't think that all cheerleaders are like that so please don't take offense. I change a word of the song because I don't really want to have swear words in this.

Abigail the Hedgehog : Thank you, I tried to make a mix of different memories to try and cover different aspects of Leo.

Killua minamoto : There should be a lot more angst coming up because, let's face it; Leo had a really hard past. And about the Spanish, thank you for clearing that up, it's nice to learn new things about the language.

QueenofLothlorien : Yep, there will be more tales of our daring Leo running away from other places. And don't worry about it sounding bad, I wouldn't be writing this story if I didn't enjoy seeing him hurt. And thank you for the Ritalin idea as well.

Colinare : Sadly not, I wanted this story to be about the relationships between Leo and the others, not his romance with Calypso, sorry.

SilverStorm116 : Thank you very much but I don't think I'm up to Rick Riordan level.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : The teacher was an ass. And yes, Team Leo forever.

Mexican girl : I'm glad that you find it funny and that you love it.

Elia the Huntress : The bully deserved everything that Leo gave him (and more).

Catsrawesome : Oh, I'm sorry about that. It's just, because Leo lived in so many different places (and given the way he flirts with a lot of people) I thought it was kinda unrealistic that he had never kissed anyone. I should have put that in the beginning though.

AmaebLEO : Thanks for the ideas and for the follow :)

Awesometacos : You will learn more about the girl and there will be some more of Leo singing so I hope you enojy it.

WhiteWinterStar : Maybe after this is finished I will do oneshots with Leo going back to visit some of the characters. Chronologically might have made more sense but I kinda like having them all mixed up :)

Our Mismatched Socks : I know! The teacher's comments were really uncalled for (even though I wrote them).

Disclaimer : Until my name is on the cover, I don't own Percy Jackson. I don't own Nintendo or the song cooler than me either.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V

As Athena's daughter, Annabeth liked to think that she knew a lot about the things that are important to her. But now she was starting to realise that she had really neglected getting to know Leo. It wasn't that she didn't like him, it's just that their personalities were so different and Leo almost always seemed to be in some form of trouble. Though, thinking about it now, it could just be that Leo was a lot like Percy and she could only handle one dose of loveable stupidity.

Although she hated Hera, she was starting to think that maybe her royal pain in the butt had a point. Look at how much they had already learned about the fire boy. Annabeth had never thought that they had something in common, but that view was rapidly changing. She was contemplating this as the others tormented Leo about the previous video. The next video started up.

_A tiny five year old Leo was sitting crossed legged in a small living room. He was tinkering with what looked like a Nintendo DS. His tongue was poking out in concentration, and he was so focused on his project that he didn't notice boy of about ten entering the room. The boy had the same tanned skin as Leo and the same colour hair (though his was a lot straighter than Leo's unruly curls). The broad nose matched the one that had resided on Leo's aunt. So did the cruel light in his eyes._

_The boy _(Annabeth had identified him as Leo's cousin) _watched for a moment then, when Leo had put the DS on the floor with a smile, strode over and tipped him over. Leo landed on his left elbow and tears began to form. As the elder boy inspected the DS._

_"Who said that you were allowed to touch my stuff?" The voice was deceptively casual._

_"It was broken, Raphael, and I fixed it for you." Leo stuttered slightly as he pushed himself back into a sitting position. Raphael gave him a dark look, before a wicked grin swept over his features._

_"MOM LEO'S BEEN MESSING WITH MY STUFF!"His shouting was so unexpected that Leo almost toppled over again. Leo's aunt entered, her mouth twisted into a scowl. She was followed by Leo's mother who, even in something as simple as a black tank top and blue jeans, looked radiant. The women appraised the situation and moved to stand behind their child so Raphael and Rosa facing Leo and Esperanza._

_"Mi hermana, can you not keep your child from putting his filthy paws on Raphael's expensive DS?" Rosa's voice was exasperated, though a mocking undertone ran through it. Esperanza bristled._

_" The very expensive DS that Raphael broke by throwing at his brother last week?" Esperanza's tone remained polite, despite the bait._

_"He did not throw it, he just accidentally let go. And that doesn't give your son a right to mess with it. If you ask me, the lack of a father figure is reflecting poorly on Leo's character." The venom in these words was clear and both Leo and his mother glared at the woman who was trying her best to not look smug. Raphael pulled tongues at Leo._

_"I warned you that this would happen. In fact, I told you that if you were going to keep the baby than the only decent thing to do was to get married and yet you refused. Look at what that's gotten you. A terrible job and an undisciplined child." Rosa continued her jibes. Esperanza's fists clenched._

_"Oh yes, how dare I not get married and spend the rest of my life in a loveless marriage while only staying with my husband for money. How could I possibly compare my little lion to your perfect angels who break all their stuff and pick on five year olds." Fury leaked into Esperanza's voice as she looked at her shocked sister._

_"Come, mijo. We are no longer welcome here." Her hand slipped into Leo's and they walked to the door with their heads held regally in the air. Before they left, Esperanza called one last thing through the door._

_"And you should be glad that you don't have to pay for something so expensive to get fixed because my little genius fixed it for you!" The door slammed and Esperanza lay against it for a moment, eyes closed. Leo looked at her worriedly._

_"Did I do bad, Mami?" The broken English made his hesitant question even cuter. Esperanza smiled at him, the true smile of a mother._

_"No, mijo. What you did was very kind." As they began ambling down the street, Leo turned a slightly devilish (well as devilish as a five year old could be) grin up to his mother._

_"I left him a gift as well." His mom gave him a look._

_"Nothing to bad I hope." Leo simply shook his head and they continued walking away._

_The screen cut back to the living room where Raphael was hesitantly turning his DS on. The DS screen came to life, revealing a picture of Leo smirking and sitting in a room that was obviously Raphael's, holding what looked to be a failed test paper. Raphael's face turned red and the video ended._

"You could fix things as complicated as that at the age of five?" Annabeth was staring at Leo who looked unsure of why he was being asked.

"I am a child of Hephaestus." He replied, shrugging nonchalantly, before pulling out a pad of paper and scribbling on it. Annabeth had figured that Leo was a genius, but to be able to do things like that at five, well, she might just have to reconsider Leo's abilities.

_The next image to flicker on was of Leo in his Wilderness school bedroom, glancing around furtively._

Jason looked wary, perhaps because the last time that this bedroom had shown, he had been humiliated.

_After assuring himself that no one was around, Leo removed a small bottle of pills. He downed one swiftly, grimacing slightly at the taste. He lashed them back into his drawers and stretched before leaving the room._

Leo winced as the others gave him curious and admittedly suspicious looks.

"Ritalin. I couldn't exactly explain that my ADHD was because I am a Greek demigod and therefore more at home on the battlefield than in a classroom." Annabeth noticed Percy giving Leo a sympathetic look. She had never had too many problems, but Percy had and Leo was beyond even demigod level of ADHD so it was unsurprising that he had been medicated. It was still saddening that Leo had felt the need to hide it from Piper and Jason.

"Why didn't you tell me or Jason?" Piper sounded a little hurt and Leo shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, I really think that you needed to know. I mean, you put up with enough of my annoying tendencies without having to know that I was crazy enough to pills." Leo's voice was joking, but there was something in it that just sounded like self depreciation to Annabeth. From Leo's previous rants, she had realised that Leo didn't have the highest self esteem, but she had thought that they had gotten past this.

"Leo, you aren't crazy." She tried to keep her voice reassuring but Leo gave her a look that implied that Annabeth was crazier than he thought he was.

"And you didn't have to hide that from us, we wouldn't have cared." Jason was giving Leo a look that dared him to contradict him. Leo rolled his eyes.

"Look I know now that you wouldn't have cared about the ADHD thing okay?" Leo seemed to be growing a little agitated, and Annabeth decided that the best way to get this resolved was to keep Leo talking about it.

"But you thought they would care then, right?" Leo sank a little into the couch and his drawing grew more erratic.

"It's not that I would blame them or anything, it's just ... well they were both good looking and smart and didn't seem to really have anything wrong with them. And they were becoming a couple, and I just thought that maybe a hyperactive kid on meds didn't really have a place with them." Leo's confession rang in the ears for a few seconds (Hazel had flinched at the words "have a place").

"Gods, Leo, we weren't just going to turn on you for having ADHD" Jason's voice was horrified, he clearly hadn't realised that Leo felt like that. Piper was also gaping at the short mechanic.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Leo." In response to Piper's words, Leo snorted.

"Seriously Leo, being ADHD isn't a bad thing and it doesn't make you any less of a genius." Percy's words were heartfelt but Leo rolled his eyes.

"Whatever" He muttered, sullenly.

"Leo Valdez, stop sulking right now and listen to your friends," all heads whipped to Annabeth and Leo's gaze was baffled. "You are a lot smarter than you think and if it wasn't for your skill and creativity than we wouldn't be on this quest so stop doubting yourself."

Leo mock saluted and Annabeth felt something inside her relax slightly. She knew that in the time that she had known him, Leo had surpassed a lot of their expectations and she was glad to finally give Leo some praise. With a bit of shame, she realised that she had never really thanked Leo for any of the work he had done for this quest, or for giving her the means to reunite with Percy. She leant over her boyfriend and whispered to Leo :

"And thank you for helping me get Percy back by creating our ship." The warm smile that Leo bestowed upon her was worth the out of character speeches. The next video started before things got too emotional.

_Twelve year old Leo was standing on another school stage, though this one was different to the one from the previous video. He was wearing blue jeans, a dark green T-shirt and plain black boots. Next to him, and looking a little uncomfortable, was a stereotypical tv cheerleader. Her skirt was short, her lips were glossed and her blonde hair bounced in a perky ponytail. Leo had his trademark grin as he stepped forward, a head mic resting on his curly, black locks._

_"Now for this talent show, I have decided to sing Katie a song to express what all they boys feel when she turns them down." Leo's grin grew as he spoke, and the teachers looked a bit nervous. Katie seemed to think that this would be a tearful love song about how they couldn't live without her as she tossed her ponytail over one shoulder and crossed her arms impatiently. The music started._

_"If I could write you a song to make you fall in love, I would already have you up under my arms. I used up all of my tricks, I hope that you like this, but you probably won't, you think you're cooler than me." As Leo sang, you could see Katie's face turn from smug arrogance to shock that Leo was clearly calling her a snob on stage._

_"You got designer shades just to hide your face in, and you were them around like you're cooler than me." Leo pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his back pocket and placed them on hi nose, giving a mock superior look to Katie. The audience laughed and the teachers seemed to be debating whether to stop Leo or let him continue his act._

_"And you never say hey or remember my name and it's probably cause you think you're cooler than me." From is other pocket, Leo pulled out a name tag which said hello my name is cooler than you and pinned it onto his chest proudly. Katie was starting to look angry._

_Leo started dancing around to the music._

_"You got your high brow, shoes on your feet, and you were them around like they ain't it. But you don't know the way that you look when your steps make that much noise. Shh." On the word "shh" Leo popped up behind Katie and she jumped slightly._

_"I got you all figured out, you need everyone's eyes just to feel seen (Leo gestured to the audience dramatically). Behind your make up, nobody knows who you are, who do you think that you are?" As he sang the question, Leo whipped his sunglasses of and stared at Katie seriously._

_The rest of the song was pretty much the same, with Leo occasionally acting like it was a joke, and other times looking completely serious. At the end of the song, Katie had flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. Leo looked at her sadly._

_"Next time you publicly humiliate someone for asking you out, remember the feeling of having people laugh at you and be a little more compassionate. I didn't do this to make fun of you, I did this so you would understand that no one enjoys being teased." Leo was about to step of the stage (and be massively scolded by his teachers if their angry glares were anything to go by) when Katie grabbed his arm. The audience gasped as the two stared at each other._

_Leo was suddenly pulled into a hug, and Katie's face was obviously close enough to the mic to be picked up. _

_"If you do something like this again, I'll kill you but I'm sorry to anyone I've hurt. I thought that maybe it would be cool to play hard to get and nasty but I didn't think of the people I would be hurting." The hall thundered with applause._

Jason's P.O.V

"Woah, you really taught her something there." Percy sounded amazed that Leo had just sang to a girl about how she acted really snotty and arrogant and she had apologised to him. Jason was a little amazed himself. Leo had not been getting vengeance, he had been trying to help the girl. Leo was shocking them all so much today.

As the others discussed the memory, Jason glanced at Leo's sketchbook and his jaw dropped. Leo was drawing all the people who had been kind in the memories. Leo was in the centre, being held by his mother. Around them were the prophecy demigod and some of Leo's siblings, Jake, Nyssa, Harley. The people from the past were being drawn around them.

Leo noticed him looking and grinned crookedly.

"I'm going to keep adding to this as the videos play, keep my hands busy. But don't tell them." Jason nodded, willing to keep Leo's picture secret until he revealed it to the others.

* * *

I hope that you all enjoyed reading this chapter, I'm really honoured by the amount of people who have faved, followed and reviewed. Thank you all, because without your support, this fic probably wouldn't be where it is now, I mean 84 reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

Oh wow, over 100 reviews! Thank you all so much, I'm truly honoured that so many people are enjoying my story. Also, thanks to everyone who has faved/followed.

ObsessedwReading : Thank you for all of your reviews :)

Nyx's Fist : I'm going to keep updating so don't worry (I'm going to try updating every weekend and in the middle of every week).

Techyy : Tee hee

QueenofLothlorien : You must have read my mind! I was thinking about doing a memory of Leo building the Argo (and you are very welcome).

Fantasiedreamar : Unfortunately I can't claim the song choice as my own, AmaebLEO gave me the idea.

Pacenya347 : I'm glad that you love it (sorry for making you cry though).

Guest :Maybe when I'm finished I will do the others. Thank you for the compliment :)

Bookworm563 : Thanks for all the reviews, and I'm happy that you like the way I write Leo (and I think fanfiction stole my soul long ago).

AmaebLEO : Thank you for all the ideas :) And you're welcome.

Catsrawesome : I've always thought that someone who can design a warship at such a young age should be a good artist.

The anonymous : Sorry for spoilers :( But I'm glad you like it.

MarissaTodd : I could understand him being annoyed, but he didn't even try to see Leo's side of the story. And I think Leo's too nice to send anyone to the Fields of Punishment.

SilverStorm116 : Hehe, Leo is adorable.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : I wrote this story to put Leo in painful situations so don't feel bad.

Elia the Huntress : I love Leo's smart moments to :)

Guest : ?

Killua minamoto : I'm not going to have him singing too often (and I'll try to write that for you)

Our Mismatched Socks : All will be revealed ;)

Guest : I've updated twice every week since I started this story so ...

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Thanks, and Leo does indeed have an army.

Disclaimer : I don't own anything recognizable.

* * *

Piper's P.O.V

Piper was finally coming out of her Aphrodite-ish state. She giggled softly, though the memory with his cousin had been a little sad, Piper was still thinking about how cute Leo's first kiss had been. Usually she wouldn't have allowed herself to obsess too much over romance, but Leo was her honorary little brother so it was different.

She glanced past her boyfriend's shoulder and saw Leo idly scribbling on a piece of paper. She was curious, but she didn't bother interfering. Whatever got Leo through this was okay in her mind. Piper knew without a doubt that there would be more sad memories, but she also knew that there would be more adorable Leo moments. She grinned, hoping to see more of Leo and that girl, Layla. And apparently Hera was cutting her some slack, because the next video started with and image of Leo and Layla sitting under a shady tree.

_The teens were lounging casually on a picnic blanket with a wide spread of food on top of it. Leo was wearing only a loose pair of brown cargo shorts _(and Piper was shocked to notice that Leo's frame may have been scrawny but lean muscles adorned his chest) _while Layla was in a knee length red dress, also barefoot. From the way their hands were laced together and the slight blush that graced both of their cheeks, one could deduce that they were on a date. Flowerbeds were dotted around, and people could be made out in the distance, though the couple was quite removed from the rest of the park._

Piper heard herself squealing, but the two were just so cute, and Leo was blushing! Her Leo was almost as red as the one on screen. Jason, put his arm around her, as if to restrain her from tackling Leo and pestering him for all the details. That was probably a wise move.

_They glanced at each other slowly, and when their eyes met they looked away swiftly. Layla sighed, and gently leaned into Leo's shoulder._

_"I'm so glad that we came here, it's always been my favourite spot in the park. The flowers are just so beautiful."_

_"Not as beautiful as you Leo murmured, before he face palmed. _

Percy, Jason and Frank were wetting themselves laughing while Hazel was saying how sweet it was. Piper could almost here her mother screaming about in the background at the romantic (if cliché) words.

_"Oh God, that was so cheesy, I'm sorry." Leo was looking humiliated, but the Layla laughed._

_"I thought it was cute actually, and I bet that I can be way cheesier than that." Leo straightened up, and it was clear that a challenge had been accepted._

_"Your eyes are like warm pools of chocolate that have melted due to the heat of our love." Layla batted her eyes for effect and Leo snickered._

_"Your voice is as beautiful as a chorus of songbirds." Leo and Layla were now facing each other, both still smirking._

_"Your handsomeness could rival even that of a God."_

_"Your lips are as red as the most delicate rose."_

_"Your hair is as soft as a feather."_

_"I like you more than tacos." Layla gasped dramatically when Leo said this._

_"Why sir, you flatter me if I can defeat even the highly esteemed tacos for your affection." Leo leant in and kissed her briefly._

_"Yeah well you are way nicer to kiss than tacos." Silence fell over the teens for a few seconds, then Layla spoke up._

_"You win."_

Piper almost couldn't contain her feelings over how endearing the video had been. The other boys however seemed to be too busy laughing at how cheesy Leo had been.

"Hey Jason, you can't talk about being cheesy. Although it was created by the mist, don't you remember that little talk we had?" Leo was giving Jason a predatory look and Piper felt Jason stiffen. Her fellow demigods also seemed interested in what Leo was talking about.

"You swore that we wouldn't talk about that!" Jason sounded slightly scared, and Piper wondered just what her best friend had on her boyfriend to make him seem so nervous.

"I did but Hera didn't." Leo gave a meaningful look to the ceiling. Apparently Hera was still watching them as her voice rang out a moment later;

"If I am to show that memory then I must show _all_ of it." Hera's words seemed innocent enough but Leo now looked as spooked as Jason. Regardless of the boys' protests, the video started.

_Jason and Leo were sitting on Leo's bed in his room on board the Argo. Jason was wringing his hands and Leo was swinging his legs. The atmosphere was sort of nervous. Leo huffed._

_"Look Jay, as much as I love sitting in absolute silence, and please here the sarcasm there, I really need to do some tuning so if you aren't going to say anything..." Leo motioned as if to leave, but Jason's hand wrapped around his wrist._

_"I ... I need some help with Piper."_

Piper turned to her boyfriend, slightly confused over what he could be asking Leo for help with. It was Jason's turn to squirm, though Leo didn't look much more comfortable. Whatever Hera had been alluding to was obviously embarrassing for both boys.

_Leo stared at him disbelievingly._

_"Dude, I don't think I'm the best person to come to for relationship advice," He shrugged his shoulders self-depreciatingly "in case you hadn't noticed, I'm the only one on board without a girlfriend. Even Hedge is further ahead in the dating game than I am. I haven't even passed go yet, never mind collecting my two hundred dollars."_

_"Yeah, but you are the closest thing I have to a sibling if you don't count Thalia, and I can't talk to her about girls."_

_Jason in the video was glancing at his hands so he didn't notice the blush that flitted across Leo's tanned face, before being replaced with a radiant smile._

_"Well if that's the case, what can love doctor Leo do for you."_

_"I need help telling her how I feel." Leo almost choked._

Piper felt her own face as Jason slipped his hand in hers.

_"Why don't you just tell her all the things you like about her?" Leo seemed sincere, but Jason appeared even more distressed._

_"Because I'm not good with telling people how I feel, not like you," A small flicker of sadness flared in Leo's eyes before Jason continued "and I can't seem to word anything correctly when it comes to feelings. I can't exactly walk up to Piper and say hey, I think you are one of the most beautiful beings on the planet and that only your mother could hope to rival your looks."_

Yep, Piper was definitely blushing now. Though that didn't stop her leaning in and whispering thank you to Jason who simply shrugged and replies that he had meant it.

_Leo watched Jason appraisingly._

_"I think that your actions convey your feelings to Beauty Queen perfectly, Superman." Jason gave him a bewildered look, and Leo shook his head with a look that resembled a fed up master trying to impart his wisdom upon a stubborn disciple._

_"Look, I know Piper pretty well and I can quite honestly tell you that she already knows how you feel about her and is willing to wait for you to tell her when you are ready. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't be romantic, but don't over think things. If you confess to her honestly than she will be happy no matter how simple the wording is." It was Jason's turn to appraise Leo._

_"You sound pretty knowledgeable about this stuff." Leo shrugged._

_"I'm a special boy with many talents. Helping lovestruck friends just happens to be one of them." Jason stood and yanked the boy into a quick hug._

_"Thanks Leo." Leo lazily saluted him, and Jason left the room. Leo's eyes remained on his departing figure for a moment or two before he called out cheekily._

_"If either of you hurt each other than I'll be forced to slap both of you, you do know that?"_

_Jason gave a backwards wave._

Percy and Frank were mercilessly teasing Jason but Leo gave them both a look.

"Hey, remember that I can talk to machines, I have dirt on all of you." Needless to say, Frank and Percy shut up after that, though Percy couldn't help asking;

"Does Festus really give you gossip about us?" Leo's devilish grin was back.

"Sometimes, but it's really Buford you have to worry about. Geez that table could be on Mean Girls with the way he dishes the dirt." Percy seemed to be contemplating whether or not Leo was joking when the next video came on.

_Ten year old Leo was slumped in a worn armchair in a medium sized office. Mrs Sparrow from the first video was perched on the corner of the polished oak desk that resided in front of him, reading a folder silently. When she had finished, her eyes drifted to Leo with a mix of fondness and exasperation. When the boy remained stubbornly staring at his feet, she placed the folder on the desk and walked to the window._

_"So why did you run this time Leo?" Her voice was concerned but the authority in it was undeniable. Leo seemed compelled to answer._

_"I hated it there." His voice was bitter and completely unlike Leo's normal, jovial tones._

_"Why?" The question seemed to spark Leo's anger as he jumped up from the chair and began pacing._

_"They treated me like I was an idiot! And the older boys were always picking on me and Leah would blame everything on me and the carers didn't care whether you were guilty or not, if darling, little Leah spoke against you than you must be a despicable person who deserves to be punished." Leo was panting now, and frustrated tears leaked from his eyes. _

_"Please don't send me back."_

_"I won't" Leo visibly relaxed at these words and Mrs Sparrow walked over and placed a hand on his back._

_"But Leo, you need to stop running from your problems, it won't help anything."_

_"It helps me forget them." Leo's reply was stubborn, but as he looked up at Mrs Sparrow his resolve seemed to crumble. _

_"Sometimes it's better to remember our struggles so that we can learn from them."_

_"I'm sorry." Leo mumbled his apology._

_"It's not me that you need to apologise to."_

_"I'll say sorry to the staff of the home as well." Leo seemed relatively contrite, yet Mrs Sparrow shook her head._

_"You need to apologise to yourself as well, Leo, because f you keep running when things get tough then you'll never relax anywhere." Leo looked kind of spooked by this prospect._

_"I'll try to stay at the next home." He seemed sincere._

_"That's all I ask."_

"You haven't thought about running from us have you?" Percy's voice was hesitant. Leo focused more intently on his scribbling. Horror welled up in Piper's chest. Her questions were cut of by another video.

_Leo was standing in Bunker 9, heavy bags well established under his tired eyes. Empty monster energy drinks were scattered across some of the worktables as Leo stared up at the skeleton of his warship. Exhaustion radiated from his body and he was completely alone._

_He dragged his weary body over to the hulking ship's frame and ran his hand along one of the girders. His head lay against the cool metal for a moment, then a desperate, bitter laugh bubbled out of his mouth. _

Piper frowned at the sound that Leo had just made. Why did he sound so bitter, and why did it look like he hadn't slept in months.

_"Damn, I'm never going to get you finished in time." His voice was both angry and impossibly sad. "I can't keep my siblings here to work on you all day and all night but I'm starting to think that's what you need. At least I can work here 24 hours a day."_

_Leo began walking around the ship slowly, occasionally tightening bolts or welding with a flame produced by his little finger._

_"A few months ago, Pipes or Sparky would have dragged me out of here and forced me to eat and sleep, but I suppose there of doing more important things. After all, who cares about a repair boy when they can be making out with the son of the king of the Gods or the daughter of Aphrodite."_

Piper and Jason turned to Leo.

"I'm sorry." They both said this at the same time, but Leo just waved of their apologies.

"It's fine. Just because I couldn't participate in camp activities didn't mean that you should miss out. I understood, I was just being bitter because of the lack of sleep, it always makes me grumpy." Leo seemed to regret saying that when Hazel turned to him.

"How long had you been awake for?" Her question was laced with concern and Leo couldn't seem to ignore such open concern.

"I'd had about two hours of sleep in seven days." His voice was ashamed, and Piper felt sick.

"Had you eaten anything?" Her voice was hushed, and Leo's fists clenched.

" I had some crisps and a slice of pizza, but had to keep working to get the ship done by the deadline."

"You didn't have to starve yourself an go without sleep!" Annabeth's voice was shrill, Piper knew that Annabeth probably knew exactly what that kind of duress could do to a person. Piper shivered, and was about to speak up when Leo leapt to his feet, a rare snarl on his face.

"You didn't care then when it mattered, so why do you care now? In fact, whenever I actually took a break, you were there reminding me of how important the time scale was."

Annabeth looked shocked, and Percy sat forwards.

"Leo, there's no need to bite her head off, I'm sure that she didn't mean for you to push yourself like that." His voice was soothing, yet a note of warning crept in. Piper knew how overprotective Percy could be. Leo scoffed.

"Oh sure, take her side. Olympus forbid the great Percy Jackson actually listen to the lowly mechanics side of the story." Percy actually flinched from the layers of sarcasm and hurt as Leo stalked away from the couch and plonked himself down in the corner of the room, facing away from the couch and the screen. As he walked, Piper noticed his hand graze his ribs, and frowned heavily.

"just watch the stupid video." Leo spat this, and the other demigods decided that it would be prudent to avert there gaze away from the (literally) steaming boy. Piper was trying together a reason for Leo's outburst, and the image she was painting was not a nice one. Maybe Leo hadn't really gotten over Percy and Annabeth turning against him over the eidolon issue. These dark thoughts hovered over Piper as the video resumed playing, and her little brother remained hunched in a corner by himself.

_Leo frowned._

_"No, that's not fair. I'd choose making out over hanging out with someone as pathetic as me any day." Another harsh laugh tore from his throat. "I'm talking to myself for Hades sake. Why would I be worthy of their company. And it's not like anyone else cares. Annabeth hasn't spoken to me in weeks _(Piper noticed Annabeth wince at this) _And even my siblings often seem reluctant to talk to me."_

_Leo had reached the wall of the bunker, and his fist whipped out to smash against the wall. Blood leaked sluggishly from the cut (the hand luckily did not appear broken) and Leo stared at it despondently._

_"They think I don't hear them." His voice was quiet now, soft and oh so pained. "Why does Leo always have to be so hyperactive? Does he have to keep telling bad jokes? Even though he can't be burnt, you think he'd be more careful with his curse." The word curse was barely intelligible as it was growled out with such anger. _

_Flames licked up Leo's arms, and his depressed eyes reflected them. _

_"I wish I could have more control." Leo swayed, and then toppled over un-cerimoniousy. He lay, hand still seeping blood, on the dirty ground. Even in a state of unconsciousness, his face was troubled. No one came for him._

Piper felt a part of her soul shatter.

* * *

Sorry for the sad sort of cliffhanger. I'm trying to balance the story out with both good and bad memories. And I know that normal people probably couldn't go without proper sleep and good food, but keep in mind that Leo is a demigod **and **he has gone without both in the past so he has probably built up some endurance.


	11. Chapter 11

Warning, this chapter will have scenes of self harm and under-age drinking though nothing to graphic. If this is a sensitive issue for you than please check the warnings that I will put in front of the memory. Also, this will be another angsty chapter so be prepared.

QueenofLothlorien : I've never really tried to go without sleep so I can only imagine how it must feel.

Nyx's Fist : Hello again :) And I'm glad that making your heart hurt isn't necessarily a bad thing because this chapter hurts my heart and I'm the one writing it.

MarissaTodd : I guess they were just too caught up in each other and the camp :(

WhiteWinterStar : I know that normally Annabeth would notice, but she was pretty obsessed with finding Percy at this point and Leo is relatively similar to Percy so it might have hurt to be around someone with similarities to her missing boyfriend.

Fantasiedreamar : I seem to make a lot of people cry :( Sorry.

Catsrawesome : Ooh, I like the idea of a break up, I might use that soon.

Lovefangirllove : How they plague us.

Pacenya347 : The feels are strong in this one :)

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : Oh no, I knew I'd make a mistake like that somewhere. Thanks, I'll have to remember that (I'm English so trying to write the American way is hard).

Guest : I know, the others just seem to brush of Leo's feelings whenever he mentions his past! And it's going to get darker this chapter ...

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I hope you have a wonderful day too :) And Leo definitely needs a hug.

Elia the Huntress : Yay, I can now officially mess up other's emotions (only kidding). And don't worry, my friends already told me who died.

Lovefangirllove : Thank you so much! And I really do make a lot of people cry (I'm such a bad person).

Killua minamoto : I'm glad that you enjoyed it, and I love all of you as well.

Kittehx1 : Don't worry, I will.

ObsessedwReading : I've done his Mom's death and I'm not including Calypso but thanks for the other ideas.

Our Mismatched Socks : Thank you :)

RowanRoseandCelestleJackson : I hope that Leo can repair your feels dam (though probably not this chapter).

Guest : Thanks (and I'm using the self harm idea this chapter so thanks for that).

Awesometacos : It's good that you liked the dark because it's going to get darker.

SilverStorm116 : Thank you but all credit for the song choice goes to AmaebLEO.

Disclaimer : Anything that can be recognised as canon is not mine.

* * *

Jason's P.O.V

Jason stared wordlessly at the now blank screen. Had Leo really thought that? Jason was almost crushed by guilt as he realised just how much he and Piper had neglected their friend. Yes they had had camp duties and yes they were trying to spend a lot of time with each other, but they should have never forgotten about their friend. No, not their friend, their younger brother. They had failed Leo in such a horrendous way. He wouldn't have blamed Leo if he wanted to run away. Leo deserved better.

Tears started to trail down Jason's cheeks, but he made no move to wipe them off. All of his friends (except Leo obviously) were in a similar state. They all knew that they had hurt the usually bubbly mechanic, and he had felt so alone that he had kept it from them. Jason wanted to wrap his arms around Leo and not let him go until everything was forgiven, but Jason didn't know if everything could be forgiven. The wounds had been left to fester and Leo had never complained once. He had just soldiered on and they had abused this loyalty.

Hera's P.O.V

Hera stared at the sobbing heroes, and even she was not harsh enough to not feel a twinge of pity.

"This memory will either destroy them all, or it will rekindle the trust that they shared. I hope that this will be the worst memory that I will have to show them." The Goddess' thoughts were sincere as she silently resolved to show the group **that** memory.

Jason's P.O.V

The screen had came back on and if he didn't already understand the futility of attacking the screen, lightning would be attacking the screen. Hadn't their brother been through enough. His fists clenched as he could hear the sniffles and sobs that the rest of his friends were producing. Leo's picture lay abandoned on the couch and he closed it over hesitantly.

Leo himself was silent in the corner, though the shadows danced in a way that told Jason that part of his friend. If he wasn't so emotionally wrought than he would have laughed at the normalcy he placed in the thought. Instead, his eyes drifted wearily to the screen, praying that they would make it through this. Together.

**Warning, scenes of self harm and under-age drinking in this memory.**

_Fourteen year old Leo sat in a dark room, smoke filling the air. Strobe lights illuminated all but the darkest corners and the place was packed with teenagers. Leo appeared to be one of the youngest. A thumping beat played in the background as Leo sat on the couch, feet dangling lazily, hand tapping with the beat. His hair was wilder than usual, and his clothes were crumpled. He was wearing a tight black top, fishnet gloves, ripped, black skinny jeans and scuffed boots._

_An older boy, around eighteen or nineteen who's face was filled with piercings stalked over to Leo, two beers clutched in his hands._

_"Need a drink little dude?" The smile on his face was kind but with an edge that screamed danger. Leo shrugged._

_"Got no money." His answer was stated in a bored tone. If possible, the other boy's grin grew wider._

_"Hey, what sort of person would I be if I didn't treat the boy who saved me from the cops. Us runaways gotta stick together, right?" Leo shrugged._

_"Thanks, but I didn't do much." Leo accepted the drink gratefully, and sipped at it expertly._

Jason was uncomfortable. Not only was Leo drinking alcohol under-aged, he was clearly in a very dodgy place. But there was no way he could say any of that to Leo who was shrinking in his corner. The flames had intensified but Leo was making no move to attack the screen. Jason was unsure on whether or not this was a good sign.

_The other boy slid onto the couch next to Leo and his arm slid around the other's shoulders casually. Leo stayed fixated on his drink, which was rapidly disappearing. They remained drinking in silence for a few minutes, but when the drinks were finished, the older boy returned with four more and a pair of shots on a tray. _

_They had downed all the drinks and the shots before the older boy made a move to talk again. Leo was looking slightly unsteady at this point._

_"So, me and my boys were thinking..." He trailed of._

"His boys? Oh Gods, he's a gang leader!" Annabeth looked terrified, yet Leo ignored them. The other demigods were tense as they watched the screen.

_"Yeah?" Leo's voice was distinctly slurred. The grin on the older boys face was frightening at this point._

_"That a boy of your *ahem* skills would be perfect in our gang." Leo's hooded eyes observed the other boy for a moment. Then he stood up a little shakily._

_"Sorry mate, but I'm not interested in joining any gang." Leo turned to walk away when a hand made it's way around his wrist._

_"I think that you should reconsider." The that was clamped around Leo's wrist seemed to be getting tighter. _

_"And I think that you should check your potential recruits alcohol tolerance before you try to coerce them." Leo's voice remained perfectly pleasant, but it was now crystal clear. The elder boy was sliding his free hand into his waistband, and there was a flash of silver. Leo was too quick for him. _

_The Latino's head slammed into the other's face with bone crunching force. The hand on his wrist loosened and Leo tore away, dancing through the crowd in a way that was almost choreographed in it's fluidity._

_As soon as Leo had escaped the club, he took to the rooftops. He ran and ran. He stopped at a certain back alley, and made his way through it cautiously. When he reached the end, he turned. The building next to him was clearly abandoned, and Leo hunched over to wrench a few miscellaneous pieces of rubbish away from the wall. He revealed a hole in the side of the building, small enough for a very skinny dark haired demigod._

_After Leo had wriggled into the basement of the old building, he made his way over to the trusty back pack. From it's depths, Leo pulled out a small_ pocket knife_, with a dangerous looking blade._

_Breathing ragged, he rolled one of his gloves of. Then the knife was ghosting over his flesh, leaving behind thin red trails. The injuries wept down his arms though they were clearly not deep enough to scar. Once seven cuts were leaving bloody tears on Leo's arms, the knife was cleaned carefully on an already blood stained handkerchief. The knife was then dropped carelessly back into the bag._

_The blood was stemmed hastily by a Leo, who then proceeded to expertly bandage his arm. The look on his face was one of grim determination._

_"I should of let that bloody criminal be taken down." Leo's voice was filed with self recrimination as he tightened the bandages. _

_"I shouldn't have come to this bloody place." Another harsh yank._

_"And I shouldn't have ran away FOR THE MILLIONTH GODDAMN TIME"." Leo finished with the bandages as he shouted these last words._

_The video ended with and image of red slowly staining the once pure white of the bandages._

**Memory ended**

Jason almost wanted to die. Seeing Leo mutilating himself was just too much.

"Leo..." He managed to choke out. His brother curled up tighter in his little corner.

"Dude, why?" Percy's voice cracked. Leo didn't acknowledge them at all.

"Please Leo, we want to help." Maybe it was the desperate plea made by Piper, maybe it was the fact that Leo had been holding all of this in for much longer than necessary but he finally turned towards his worried friends, his worried **family**.

The chocolate eyes were devoid of any emotion, starkly contrasting the tears that rained from them like tiny waterfalls. Jason's heart was stuttering at the sight of such pain on Leo's face.

"Maybe ... maybe I'm beyond helping." The anger from earlier had been replaced with sheer anguish and desperation. Jason almost wished that the anger would return. At least then his little brother wouldn't be giving up on them, on himself.

"It just all hurts so much. Raphael, Aunt Rosa, Mr Borquin, Mrs Sparrow, James, Layla, Katie and Mi Mami, it hurts so much. I've lost everything again and again and I'm going to lose you as well." Leo was speaking with the same pattern as a child and he was rocking slowly. The ache to hug the boy was too strong for Jason to resist and his arms made their way around Leo again. Leo's arms wrapped around him as Jason rocked him.

"Why do you think that you'll lose us as well?" Percy and Piper also sat with the distraught boy, their arms reclaiming their place around Leo's waist and shoulders. The others sat as close as they could without actually sitting on the trio. Frank would have turned into a puppy again but their voices were all needed to help the second youngest.

"Because I destroy everything and It's only a matter of time before you want to get rid of me."

"We'll never want to get rid of you." Hazel's voice was filled with fierce love for her friend.

"We need you no matter what you think." Annabeth chimed in.

"Who else would keep us all amused with stupid jokes when things go wrong?" Frank added his piece.

"You're safe with us little firebug." Piper's arms squeezed Leo gently.

"You'll never have to run again." Percy's grip also tightened.

"You're our brother Leo and we're sorry for not realising how much you were hurting. We're sorry for neglecting you. But we're not sorry for you being with us and we'll never regret you being a part of our family. Please, never hurt yourself again." Jason felt his own voice breaking as he tugged Leo into his lap.

"I already told you that I was just being bitter that day." Leo was clearly beating up for allowing his friends to hear those words from the other video, despite the fact that they were never intended to reach the gangs' ears.

"You were right about the fact that we neglect you unfairly. You were wrong when you called yourself unimportant though. Nothing is more important to me than my family." Percy spoke with conviction, and Jason already knew that Percy would die or kill for any of them. The others were agreeing loudly.

"How many times have you cut yourself?" Annabeth's question was no nonsense, she expected and answer and she would get one no matter what.

"Only ten or eleven times ..." Leo trailed off at the horrified gasps.

"Have you cut since you met us?" Piper's voice trembled. Leo's cheeks coloured with shame.

"Once." He mumbled. Jason's insides turned to ice . he had never even known.

"When?" Jason knew that his voice was hoarse but at this point he couldn't care less.

"After the attack on the Roman demigods." Jason saw Percy and Annabeth flinch.

"Was it because of us?" Percy seemed to be once again on the brink of tears. Leo shook his head vehemently.

"No! It was fault. As usual I was weak and now you're suffering for it." Leo began trembling again, and the three demigods holding him drew closer.

"You aren't weak Leo." Hazel's voice was soft this time, though no less full of love and determination.

"I've always been weak." Leo's simple statement broke a dam inside of Jason.

"You are the strongest person I have ever and probably will ever meet. You've gone through so much yet you keep on laughing. We never seem to give you the credit you deserve but you still keep working and you never seem to resent us for all the ways we have wronged you. Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, Master mechanic, metal dragon whisperer you are stronger than everyone here and without you we would be nothing. You are our brother and I swear that I will do everything in my power to earn your forgiveness." Jason was panting slightly at the end of his emotional tirade.

Leo's shocked brown eyes locked onto his. Then, his younger brother broke into a smile. It was watery and weak an yet it still conveyed love.

"I don't need you to earn my forgiveness, Hermito, for you are my family." Leo's words warmed Jason's heart like the flames he usually produced. He ruffled Leo's hair, and Leo stuck his tongue out at him. Everything was not okay, but hopefully with the aid of the memories to come, they could get back to the Argo stronger than ever before.

"Annabeth?" Leo was questioning again, and remembering Leo's question from before, Annabeth nodded with caution.

"If you are all my brothers and sisters, than aren't you technically all incestuous by dating each other?"

A chorus of groans rang out.

* * *

So, I hope that this wasn't to depressing. Please feel free to leave a review and may your day be blessed with Leo goodness.


	12. Chapter 12

Hey, I'm sorry if this chapter isn't as good as usual, I'm not very well at the moment.

Nyx's Fist : Thank you for both of your reviews :)

Enhisbeautiful : I'm glad that you loved it.

QueenofLothlorien : The mystery of the sore ribs will be revealed to the others this chapter :) And if she thinks you're weird for reading it she must think that I'm insane for writing it. I might put the weak wrist in later.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : Gotta love some Leo angst.

WhiteWinterStar : Sorry for making it too quick but I'm glad that you liked it.

Pacenya347 : Oh no! Please don't cry *frantically waves adorable Leo pictures*.

ObsessedwReading : I feel bad for Leo as well (and I'm the one writing this!)

AmaebLEO : Ooh that's a great idea thank you. I'll use that next chapter (really, that would make so much sense).

Guest : I'll do one soon.

Catsrawesome : I'm happy that it wasn't too depressing and that Leo was in character.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I laughed at that as well. And I wish Leo knew how much we love him.

Septimus : You'll find out this chapter.

Killua minamoto : Thank you, your reviews are always so kind :)

SilverStorm116 : It's always so hard not to fangirl in school. And I'm glad if my story can help anyone who has suffered any of the issues that Leo has faced.

Our Mismatched Socks : If you're horrible for reading about Leo suffering than what must I be for writing it?

Kittehx1 : You're not weird, he does it in the book and I feel the same way.

Kaylee : I'll be writing a lot more so don't worry.

Awesometacos : Ahh, no he just wanted Leo's fighting/creating skills.

AnnabethJackson09754 : Thank you, the're all so adorable.

* * *

Disclaimer : I own only the plot of this story, not the characters.

Percy's P.O.V

Percy still felt warm over the fact that Leo finally seemed to register that they saw him as a brother despite his self perceived flaws. But then he noticed something that made him frown. Leo was rubbing his ribs again. He remembered his earlier theory. Piper was also watching the motion anxiously and when their eyes met, Percy nodded. They were going to confront Leo over this, he wasn't going to be allowed to suffer in silence any more.

"Why do you keep rubbing your ribs, Leo?" Percy made sure to keep his question soft without leaving any room for Leo to wriggle out of answering. Leo looked at his hand with surprise and stopped it's movements.

"Oh, the memory from before just reminded me of when they were injured. I guess my mind just decided to do this subconsciously."

"Phantom pain." Leo shot Percy a dirty look for saying that as clarity dawned on the others.

"That disgusting witch **broke** your ribs!" Piper's voice reached a pitch that could probably kill dogs due to indignation.

"Guys, chill. It happened a long time ago and she'll never get to me again." Leo's comment did seem to calm the others.

"You're damn right she won't." Percy couldn't help this statement and Leo's mouth tilted up. Hera's voice nearly gave them all a heart attack.

"As you have been here for a few hours, you require sustenance." After the matter of fact statement, a table appeared in front of the couch with the demigods favourite foods. They retook their original places in front of their dishes and Percy could hardly believe that they had only been there for a couple of hours. It felt like they had been in that room for years.

As they settled themselves in front of their food, Percy noticed that Leo's plate was filled with tacos which reminded Percy of an earlier memory.

"So are we going to learn about the great taco snatcher yet?" Leo almost choked and the screen turned on obligingly.

_James and Leo were sitting in the kitchen and both sets of eyes were on a big plate in the middle of the table that was filled with delicious looking tacos. Julie was facing them with her hands on her hips._

_"Now you are going to wait for us to come home before we eat and therefore I don't want any of those tacos to be missing when your father and I return from Mrs Lilac's next door. Understood?"_

_The boys nodded their assent. Julie eyed them up for a minute or two before she joined her husband and walked outside. Leo sighed and went to leave the room but James tugged him back, a sly smile on his face. Leo stared at him questioningly._

_"Bet you can't get one of those tacos without mom finding out." Leo, with all the affronted pride of an eleven year old boy instantly retorted with a "Bet I can!"._

_James gestured towards the table. "Go ahead then."_

_Leo debated internally for a few seconds, before he crept towards the table. He pulled himself up with the agility of a cat and wrapped his hand slowly around the closest taco. The door was flung open and Leo span, the taco leaving his fingers to fly across the room._

_"Hey boys, I forgot my ke..." The taco landed directly in Allen's face, who had clearly returned to find his keys. Julie stood behind him, taking in the sight of Leo sitting on the table with taco sauce staining his hand and one of her tacos smeared over her husbands voice. Leo did what any insane ADHD eleven year old would do in this situation. _

_He jumped off the table, bowed, yelled "tada" and then tried to sprint out of the room. Julie's fingers hooked around his collar._

_"Not so fast you little taco snatcher."_

"You seriously shouted tada instead of saying sorry." Percy almost couldn't breathe through laughing. Leo flushed. The food had been finished as the demigods watched the memory and the table had disappeared. Leo had resumed scribbling, though he was keeping the pad well sheltered so Percy had no clue what he was doing on it.

"I panicked!" They all laughed more at Leo's protests.

Hazel's P.O.V

Hazel was so happy that Leo seemed to be a lot more cheerful. She almost couldn't take the thought of Leo hurting himself in anyway. She was also glad that Leo had seemingly accepted that he was a member of their dysfunctional family. And that memory had been so cute and funny. She hoped that the next memory would be just as cute.

_The image of a stable, standing in the heat of the a Texan day flickered on screen.A thirteen year old Leo stood in front of a glorious chestnut stallion. He was wearing full horse riding gear and an honest to God cowboy hat. A group of people sat on horses around him, Leo obviously being the last to get onto his horse._

_"Mount up Valdez, we don't have all day."This order came from a ginger haired girl who sat on top of a small black mare. A boy next to her who was practically her reflection if you ignored his considerably shorter hair laughed gently._

_"Yeah Leo, some of us have a curfew." Leo stuck out his tongue at the boy before turning to the girl with a teasing smile._

_"Sorry, ma'am, a gentleman like me would hate to keep such a polite young lady like yourself waiting." His voice had a gentle, southern lilt that was usually hidden away. Leo mounted with ease, and sat on top of the horse with complete confidence. He took the reins and guided his horse to stand in front of the others. The group cantered away, and Leo's laughter echoed behind him. __They continued to banter as they rode into a nearby forest._

Hazel's heart clenched painfully. From the teasing grin to his posture on the horse and even the way his laughter rang out, Leo had been the exact duplicate of Sammy. The memory of riding with her old friend hurt, and though she knew it wasn't Leo's fault, she couldn't help but resent him a little in that moment for reminding her of what she could have had. Then, with a wave of guilt, she realised that if she had started dating Sammy than she would never have met Frank, Leo or the rest.

She looked up to see Leo's giving her a concerned look. So like Sammy's ... no. Leo was her friend in his own right and she had to stop comparing him to Sammy. She flashed Leo a grin and snuggled into Frank's side. Leo appeared appeased and continued his doodling.

_The next memory revealed a relatively crowded sitting room, filled with children of all ages. Twelve year old Leo sat in the middle_ _of a cluster of children, laughing and joking. Occasionally one of the older boys would throw in a cruel remark which Leo would casually deflect in that jokey way of his._

_Leo's eyes drifted towards the window and saw a small girl of about five sitting, curled up, on the driveway. Leo excused himself from the group and made his way outside. Faint sniffles were coming from the child's mouth and Leo sat beside her. Watery eyed glanced at Leo briefly before flicking away hastily._

_"Hey there, Sparkle. What's up?" Leo said this with some affection _(evidently the name Sparkle was a nickname). _The young girl shook her head and buried her face deeper into her knees. Leo frowned._

_"Come on Sparkle, you know that if you cry, I'll start crying." The girl remained unresponsive and Leo's frown deepened. He gently slung his arm over the girl's shoulders and drew her onto his lap. His hand smoothed her hair tenderly and he sang a Spanish lullaby softly._

_Eventually the girl blurted out her problems._

_"No one wants me!" She wailed._

_"Of course they do Sparkle." Before Leo could continue re-assuring her, Sparkle shook her head obstinately._

_"I've been here for ages and ages and no one wants me."_

_"I've been here longer." The little girl looked up curiously at this. _

_"Now if you don't smile, people won't see your adorable little grin and that is a crime, okay?" She giggled at this and Leo pretended to be blinded by her smile. After a while, Leo stood up, shifting Sparkle to his hip in a practised way that suggested that Leo was used to carting around small children. His singing resumed as he walked towards the Home._

_"How long have you been here Leo?" The words were drowsy and somewhat slurred but Leo still replied._

_"Three months."_

"That was so cute." Hazel couldn't help giggling about how cute Leo had been.

"It was nice of you to help that girl out." Percy was giving Leo a brotherly smile. Leo shrugged slightly.

"I'm used to being surrounded by little kids. Sparkle was one of my favourites though."

"Why did you call her Sparkle." This was Frank who was looking mystified at the randomness of the nickname.

"On her second day she accidentally spilled glitter all over me. She started crying and it was the first thing I could think of to make her stop crying." As Leo said this, an image of him encrusted in glitter showed up on the screen. The group grinned at the sight of their friend coated in glitter.

Jason's P.O.V

Jason shot a look at Leo's picture and smiled as he watched Sparkle being added in. Then he noticed that one of the most friendly faces from the previous videos had not been drawn on.

"Where's Layla?" Leo froze at Jason's quiet question, an action that Jason didn't understand.

"You'll probably find out why I'm not drawing Layla on later." Leo's voice was the tiniest bit sad and Jason almost kicked himself for upsetting his friend. Apparently Leo noticed his expression as he punched him lightly in the arm.

"I'm fine Sparky." Jason glared at the nickname, but inwardly he was relieved that he hadn't shattered the tentative air of relaxation that the demigods were currently enjoying. Jason was happy to be getting closer to the younger boy, but at the same time he despised the amount of pain that Leo had suffered. He swore silently to himself that he would always support Leo no matter what. It was time for the next memory.

* * *

Yay, some happier memories and the secret of the great taco snatcher is revealed. And if anyone is upset at the lack of Nico in this story, I have started a fic that focuses on the friendship between Nico and Leo so feel free to check it out. Goodbye and see you next time :).


	13. Chapter 13

Okay guys, I wanted to ask if you would mind if I write another singing memory as I have found a song which I think is perfect for the darker side of Leo. And the idea for what happened to Layla is from AmaebLEO. Thanks for all the faves and follows. Oh, and before I forget, I din't know canonically at what age Leo joined the Wilderness school but I am going to say that it was fifteen for this fic.

Pacenya347 : I'm sorry but I can't seem to get the link to work.

QueenofLothlorien : Oops! And I feel a lot better thank you.

Catsrawesome : I'm happy that I made you smile and of course you can have adorable Leo pictures to.

ObsessedwReading : Thank you, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Guest : Don't worry, I will definitely be continuing this story for a while and I'm glad that you like it.

Our Mismatched Socks : You'll find out this chapter.

AnnabethJackson09754 : Thank you for the compliments and for enjoying the great taco snatcher. And you will find out about Layla this chapter.

Selena : I haven't done a bad memory between the two yet so I may put that in soon.

Kittehx1 : There will be a lot more bad memories in the future.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : I think I'm a sadist as well because there is more angst to come.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Thank you for my virtual doughnut and thanks for checking out my other story :)

Septimus : You will find out a little more about Sparkle this chapter as well.

Disclaimer : For some reason, Percy Jackson still isn't mine. Go figure.

* * *

Piper's P.O.V

Piper was actually looking forwards to the next memory a little bit. The last few had just been so sweet, surely they had gotten through the worst. The next memory was flickering onto the screen and a part of Piper shivered with Aphrodite induced happiness to see Layla, Leo's childhood girlfriend on screen. Then Piper frowned in confusion. Was the girl ... kissing someone else?

_Layla was kissing a tall boy who had neat brown hair and a muscular build in the park where Leo and Layla had shared a picnic. His eyes were dark blue. They broke away and the boy ran a hand through Layla's hair._

_"Valdez wouldn't be happy if he found us." Layla snorted angrily at this._

_"Leo probably wouldn't even care. He doesn't care about me enough to tell me anything about himself, it's like his past never even existed. I know he lives with foster parents but he won't tell me why." The boy shrugged and kissed her again._

_"His loss." He muttered. Layla pulled away again, obviously not done with her rant and clearly not noticing the hurt eyes of one Leo Valdez standing a short distance away._

_" I mean, it isn't worth dating him despite his good traits as he is just so ... un-trusting. He acts like he can't form proper attachments, I don't even know where he was born for God's sake!" They kissed again, and when they released each other this time, Layla noticed Leo who was currently tearing up slightly._

_"Leo ..." Shame and horror were painted on Layla's cheeks, but Leo shook his head._

_"If we weren't properly bonded then it won't hurt you to know that we're over." Leo darted out of the park, leaving Layla in the arms of the other teen. As he ran, the tears spilled over and he stopped in an alley. He slid to the floor, his whole body slumped over._

_"I knew it was too easy, too good, to be true." Leo's voice was pained and wiped his face viciously._

_"I'll never fall for someone like that again. I won't date anyone who laughs at my jokes, or has cheesy pick up line offs with me. I'll go for girls out of my league. At least then I won't get strung along with false hope." His voice was resolute as he promised himself to never trust a girl who falls for him easily. A final tear slipped down his face._

"HOW DARE SHE CHEAT ON YOU? HOW DARE SHE MOCK YOU BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T TELL HER EVERYTHING INSTANTLY!" Piper was fuming. How could that girl play with Leo's feelings as if they didn't truly matter. She had always wondered why Leo seemed to always go for girls who would instantly turn him down, and now she knew, she felt anger sing through her veins.

As Piper was idly wondering if her mother would team up with her to make that harpy's love life hell, Leo was blushing mildly.

"I kind of over reacted to that, didn't I?" His question was embarrassed and Piper felt even more enraged. In fact, everyone looked affronted on Leo's behalf.

"Dude, you had every right to be annoyed, in fact, you handled it a lot better than I would have." Percy placed a sympathetic hand on Leo's shoulder.

"I'm sure that you will find your special someone on this quest Leo." And Piper was certain (call it Aphrodite intuition) that Leo was destined to meet someone special soon. Leo didn't exactly look convinced, but Piper's faith was unshakeable. Leo would find someone to love on this quest whether Piper had to personally scour the female population. With that idea cemented in her mind, Piper turned to watch the next memory.

_Fifteen year old Leo was racing through the streets desperately. His black jeans were torn, and blood was staining the area around the hole. His crimson shirt was a little dirty, as were the bandages around his wrist and his eyes were wild, hunted. He darted around people, diving over obstacles but his leg was obviously causing him problems. An older boy decked and out in stereotypical thug clothing was chasing him _(Piper was quick to link this with the gang leader of the other video, he was obviously a member trying to help recruit Leo. Clearly Leo had had a birthday while still in that area).

_Leo was running at an incredible speed, but as he dashed along a street that didn't branch off into any side streets, the inevitability became clear as another gang member pulled up at the end of the street on a gleaming, black motorbike._

_Instead of slowing his pace, however, Leo increased his speed and a devil-may-care grin crept onto his face. Collision was imminent._

"Why would you run towards the motorbike?" Frank sounded hopelessly baffled but instead of providing an answer, he simply smirked.

"Watch the clip orc boy." Frank spluttered indignantly at the accursed nickname, but his curiosity apparently won out as he turned back to the screen. Piper rolled her eyes at Leo who waggled his tongue unrepentantly.

_Just as it looked like Leo was about to crash into the bike, he leapt into the air, kicking the gang member of the motorbike and slinging his own scrawny legs over the seat with almost exaggerated care. As the first gang member came into view, Leo waved cheekily before swiping the second member's helmet. He tugged it on swiftly and then expertly manoeuvred the bike around the prone form and onto the nearest road._

_He cruised along confidently, effortlessly controlling the bike. However, his casual zooming came to an end when a police car appeared behind him. For a tense moment, it looked as if Leo was going to go for a full on police chase, his hands tightening on the handlebars and a grim look of determination behind the visor. Yet he reluctantly pulled over._

_Leo tugged the helmet off, exposing a lazy grin._

_"Mornin' officers." Leo's tone was cheerful, as if he hadn't just been riding a motorbike under-age. The officers looked less than impressed._

_"So we've finally caught the elusive Valdez, under-age driving no less." The cop who spoke up was a tall, imposing man with red-brown hair and mocking green eyes._

_"Ah, it's good to see you again Officer Cormac." Though Leo's voice was filled with jest and bravado, his eyes held a tinge of fear. The officer, now known as Officer Cormac, stepped forward menacingly, a pair of handcuffs swinging from his fingertips. His partner watched idly as the officer dragged Leo behind the police car before pinning him harshly to the bonnet. The car was angled in such a way that this rough mistreatment would go unnoticed by the general public. Leo's face was forced into the metal as the cuffs were fastened around his wrists._

_As soon as Leo was able to stand, he jumped over hi cuffed hands so that they were now in front of him. The witty remark that was about to fall from his lips was stifled by a rough back hand to the face that sent Leo sprawling. Blood ran down Leo's chin from a split lip. Leo's eyes were wide in shock as he ran his tongue over his cheek to check if he was bleeding anywhere else._

_"If you try anything else you disgusting little brat, then I will break your leg and you won't be running from anymore homes for a long time." To accentuate his words, the disgrace of an officer ground his heel into Leo's leg, with enough pressure to bruise but not break. Leo's eyes were defiant, but he didn't try anything else as he was forced into the police car with a little more force than strictly necessary._

"That pig!" Numerous expletives were heard as the demigods expressed their displeasure at how that pathetic excuse of an officer had hurt their friend.

"Yeah, old korma boy didn't really have a sense of humour."

"Why did his partner just let it happen?" Jason sounded furious, just like everyone else in the room.

"They were good friends who had been after me for a while. Whenever child services failed to catch up to me, they would be dispatched to bring me in."

"Did they always treat you so badly?" Piper was just about ready to track those police men down and find a way to make hem pay.

"Only when they could get away with it, like that time they could blame it on the gang." Leo stated this as if it wasn't a horrible revelation. And Piper was sad to think that in Leo's messed up life, corrupt policemen probably weren't that big of an issue. While the demigods were planning ways to punish the officers, a new video started up, this one with a more welcome face on it.

_Sparkle and Leo were standing in a kitchen, with Leo leaning against a cabinet and Sparkle clinging to his legs._

_"Do you really think they want me?" Leo smiled tenderly and ruffled the petite child's hair. _

_" How could they not want you Alice, my little Sparkle girl?" Sparkle aka Alice, giggled and snuggled into his knees. While her face was buried in his knees, Leo allowed a look of sadness to descend upon his elven face, but all traces of sadness were wiped from his visage when Alice looked up._

_"Will I still be your Sparkle even if I move away?" _

_"Of course you will." A kindly looking woman entered the kitchen. A smile broke onto her face when she spotted the two._

_"Oh Alice sweetie, Mr and Mrs Shields want to adopt you." Alice squealed and ran up to hug the lady._

_The screen skipped a head to the day of Alice's departure._

_Alice was holding Leo's hand as a lovely looking couple packed a small suitcase of Alice's belongings into their car. Leo squeezed her hand gently._

_"Hey Sparkle, I've got something for you before you go." A small parcel was pressed into Alice's hand. The girl tore into it enthusiastically and revealed to dolls that looked exactly like Leo and Sparkle. She gasped._

_"How did you get them?" Her eyes were filled with childish wonder and Leo reflected her happiness._

_"I made them especially for you, Sparkle." The little girl teared up and flung herself into Leo's arms._

_"I wish you could come with me." She muttered. Leo held her close for a moment, before releasing her. Her new mother gently took her hand and led her away. The children waved to each other until Sparkle was no longer in sight. The kindly woman from before who had been quietly over seeing the proceedings stepped forward and placed a supportive hand on Leo's shoulder._

_"You and Alice were close, you are taking this better than I expected." Her voice held a note of concern but Leo gave her a smile that was both dazzling and melancholy._

_"I know those people will protect and give her the family that she deserves." The woman looked at Leo with respect._

"You really cared about that little girl, didn't you?"

Leo gave her a dazzling smile.

"She was like a little sister."

* * *

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and I apologise if any of the adoption stuff was wrong. As a side note, the name Cormac can mean son of corruption and the name Shields means protector :) Feel free to leave me a review on whether or not you would mind another song memory.


	14. Chapter 14

Hello everyone, I hope you are ready for some more angst and painful Leo moments :) And the song I will be using this chapter is called Lost one's weeping by vocaloid though if you want to listen to it I would suggest listening to Jubyphonic's English dub version. That is also where I found the lyrics. The song part will be written a little differently then usual so I hope that you don't mind and it also contains references to suicidal thoughts (I will put a warning). Thanks as always to everyone who has followed or faved or contributed ideas to this chapter and OH MY GOD, 201 REVIEWS! Thank you all so much.

Nyx's Fist : Thank you for your continued support of this story.

Pacenya347 : Thanks, it's nice when you guys help me out. I will be putting the song in.

Kittehx1 : There are a lot of OCs that I want to kill so you aren't alone there.

Epiphany Aria Grace : I'm glad that you like it and thanks for your opinion on the song.

Guest : I know that they don't all just ignore him but at some points of the books they do seem to not pay Leo much attention (they casually brushed off Leo mentioning sleeping in sewers.

Awesometacos : Perhaps I'll do a jail scene next chapter for you.

QueenofLothlorien : Thanks for asking :) And I love Texan accents, the thought of Leo speaking with one is just so attractive in my opinion.

Our Mismatched Socks : AmaebLEO gave me the idea, I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

Chocolate : I'm sorry but Leo won't really be paired with anyone.

Guest : I know but I think that Leo and Percy could also be quite close due to their similar natures.

AmaebLEO : Thank you for all of your ideas and don't be too surprised if you see them cropping up throughout the story. Goodnight to you too :)

Guest : Maybe once I finish this I'll consider doing other characters.

Septimus : You're very welcome and thank you for answering my question about the song memory.

ObsessedwReading : Thank you :)

Nightcorelover297 : I love replying to you all, I get to learn about what you think, get to share ideas and It's nice to converse with people who share my love of Leo and who are willing to spend time to give me their view.

Killua minamoto : I didn't know if anyone would want to read another song memory and yes, Layla is a bit of an evil witch. Thank you for the idea, I will be using it this chapter (and you weren't boring me, It's nice to hear about what you all are up to).

Guest : I hope that sleep deprivation isn't too bad for you (I would hate to suffer from it so I hope that you are okay).

Guest : Sadly it's not a song by either FOB or ID but maybe I'll do one later.

Ravenclaw Girl : I never even caught on to that!

Elia the Huntress : Yep, Leo makes such a cute older brother figure.

AnnabethJackson09754 : Thank you, I love writing and It's so nice of you to say that I have a talent for it.

Ybbilicious : Thanks and I'm going to be writing for a long time :)

Lilac : I'm glad that you are okay with me putting another song in, so thanks for reviewing.

SilverStorm116 : I'm sorry but Calypso won't be in this story.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : No they do not understand the awesomeness of Leo (I despise them despite the fact that I created them). And I hope that you also have a good night.

Disclaimer : I couldn't steal the rights so neither Percy Jackson nor the Vocaloid song belong to me.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V

Leo had been so sweet when he was younger. Not even Annabeth could stop a smile crossing her face at the warm admittance that the little girl, Alice, had been like a sister to Leo. It was clear that Leo was a great older brother figure, his sunny disposition and tendency to use humour reflexively probably aided him when dealing with children.

The next memory came on, revealing another Texan scene.

_This time, Leo was riding alone though he was wearing another cowboy hat. He was outside of the stable and he was gently coaxing his horse over some jumps. There was a soft, southern twang to his voice as he murmured encouragement to the horse beneath him. After they completed the course, a stunning smile swept over Leo's face and he practically leapt of his horse, throwing his hat in the air and whooping in delight, wrapping the horse into a tender yet excited hug._

_"Yes you beautiful living machine, we are gonna win!" The drawl was highly accentuated when Leo shouted with glee._

"Why do you speak with a Texan accent there but not normally?" Annabeth was confused over how Leo could shift through different dialects with such ease. Leo shrugged.

"Darlin', I can change my accent to suit however I feel." It was strange to hear Leo speaking with such a strong Texan accent.

"I think that the more important thing to ask is why you called your horse a living machine?" her boyfriend was looking both highly amused and a little concerned for Leo's sanity.

"We are all basically living machines when you think about it. We have parts that we can't function without just like a machine. Internally we are very similar to a mechanical construct." Leo's speech was matter of fact, and Annabeth was reminded of just how differently they viewed the world. Leo could see the world through machinery, a remarkable gift.

The next memory started up and Annabeth got ready to receive a new piece of information about the younger demigod.

_Leo and Piper were sitting on a bench outside of the Wilderness school. Leo was fiddling with an expensive looking_ _watch while Piper watched anxiously. After a few minutes, Leo's expression turned triumphant._

_"Here you go Pipes, good as new." Piper took the watch from him gently. _

_"Thanks Leo, I was hoping to wear this on my date with Jason tonight." Piper's face was radiant with happiness, but Leo's face dropped._

_"I thought that you were going to help me with that English essay tonight?" He sounded a little hurt. Piper smile also dropped._

_"I'm sorry Leo, I completely forgot, It's just that Jason was so nervous when he asked me if I could go out with him tonight that I just couldn't turn him down." Piper sounded genuinely remorseful, yet Leo's shoulders still slumped._

_"The essay is needed in two days and I still have 1000 words left to go. Can't you rearrange for tomorrow." Piper frowned._

_"Jason had to rearrange a date last week to help you with English, if you really needed this much help then maybe you should have hired a tutor." Leo's face turned stony._

_"Sorry princess but we can't all afford a tutor. I thought that maybe my friends would be willing to help me out but I suppose I'm only needed to give free tutoring in maths, science and Spanish." Leo stormed away and Piper looked ashamed._

_"Damn it, I screwed up." She muttered._

Piper was looking even more ashamed off screen.

"I'm really sorry for that Leo, I was unnecessarily cruel and it was even worse considering all the subjects you helped me in." Piper sounded incredibly apologetic.

"Maybe I shouldn't have reacted so strongly, you and Superman were a relatively new couple and I kept imposing on you." After Leo said that, Piper leant over Jason and squeezed Leo's knee.

"You have never imposed Leo."

"Yeah, you played the role of overprotective brother perfectly for both of us." Jason smiled, clearly referencing the earlier memory of the conversation they held. With that situation resolved, the next memory began.

_Eight year old Leo was standing in a hospital room. Behind him, Mrs Sparrow stood, biting her lip nervously. In front of him was an old lady who bore a distinct family resemblance to Leo despite the signs of age that marred her skin._

_Her frail shaking hand was clutching Leo's ting fingers and both were crying. _

_"Lo siento mi nieto (I'm sorry my grandson)." Her eyes were cloudy, whether with age or tears it was hard to distinguish. Little Leo shook his head, gripping her wrist tighter._

_"No tienes la culpa (It isn't your fault)." Leo's voice was steady, contrasting the rivers of tears that raced down his face. The two embraced lovingly before Leo had to pull away. Leo walked to the door,turning back to face his Grandmother._

_"Te amo (I love you).." They both said at the same time. A sad smile slipped over Leo's face and as he exited the room, a wistful look appeared on the old lady's face. _

"What was happening there?" Frank looked a little upset himself, Annabeth had been told all about his Grandmother situation by Percy and understood that seeing something like would remind if of his own family.

"She was too ill and eccentric at that point to look after me according to the doctors." Leo was frantically scribbling in his notebook and Annabeth had the feeling that this memory was going to get worse. And for once in her life, Annabeth despised being right.

_A filthy now thirteen year old Leo sat in a tiny back alley. His breathing was ragged and small cuts and bruises littered the parts of his body that were visible. He stayed still for a minute or two, clearly trying to regain his breath._

_After his breathing had evened out, he left the alley cautiously. He wove his way through the streets, expertly blending. However, his skills may have been near flawless, but one old woman would not be fooled._

_"Leo." Her voice was stronger than it had been in the hospital room, but it was still clearly the same woman. Leo froze. He turned on his heel just in time to be pulled into a firm hug._

_"Mi nieto (my grandson)." Leo's accepted the hug, and tears welled up. The screen skipped to a scene of Leo sitting in a battered armchair in a cosy sitting room. Photos were scattered around the room, and you could see images of many people including Leo, Esperanza, Rosa and Raphael._

_His Nan pottered out and handed him a cup of hot chocolate. She also tended to his wounds and mended his clothing. But, at the end, Leo still had to leave. _

_In a strange mirror of the first scene, Leo stood with his back to the door and facing his Grandmother._

_"Lo siento." This time it was Leo's turn to speak these words._

_"I knew you would have to leave me again." These words may have sounded harsh but they actually conveyed numerous emotions. Acceptance, anger, sadness and above all love were transmitted through this simple message. The hug followed naturally, yet Leo still left._

"Why didn't you stay with her then, she looked a lot better?" Hazel looked incredibly sad. Leo looked sadder.

"She couldn't afford to look after me and my Aunt would have made her life hell if she discovered mi abuela (my nan) looking after me."

The words "Four months later flashed across the screen".

_Leo was dressed in a sharp suit, yet he disregarded this fact as he knelt in the mud beside a freshly dug grave. The tears were unstoppable and he was quite literally vibrating with his sobs._

_"Lo siento, te amo, lo siento." He repeated this message over and over again, clutching the grass with enough force to uproot it._

Some tears trickled down Leo's face but he absent-mindedly wiped them away, trying to prevent them from dripping onto his work. When it became clear that his efforts were in vain, he placed his pencil in his notebook and wrapped hi arms around himself. Two other sets of arms wrapped around him, Jason and surprisingly enough, Frank. Leo smiled a watery smile.

"It's okay guys, it still hurts but she wouldn't have wanted me to be sad, mi abuela would have wanted me to think about all the positive memories that we shared." His smile grew stronger. The next video would remove that smile.

_Ten year old Leo was once again sitting in the therapist's office. His therapist was giving him a strained smile._

_"Seeing as ordinary therapy sessions don't seem to be working for you, I have decided that we are going to try something different. Follow me." Leo followed obediently, though the look on his face was apathetic. _

_They reached a door and the therapist beckoned for Leo to enter. the small boy did, revealing a large, mostly empty room._

_"You are going to spend the day in here Leo." Leo looked alarmed at this._

_"I want you to concentrate on how you are feeling without anything to distract you. You may vent however you like and it will be a private session just for you."_

_"You'll be watching." Leo sounded very churlish and still more than a little alarmed._

_"You are very good at spotting cameras and microphones Leo, can you sense any in here?" A small fraction of tension lifted from Leo._

_"Now I will bring you your food at lunch time and let you out at tea but other than that you are not allowed to leave this room." The therapist walked out looking slightly smug and closed the door behind him. Leo sat down, looking bored already._

_Text popped up saying "three hours later"._

_Leo stood up, a fed up air radiating from him. It was clear that he had made up his mind about doing something to alleviate his boredom. He pulled out an expensive smart phone with a look that was a mix of pride and shame._

"Yes I pick-pocketed his smartphone, and I want to get this damn memory over with quickly so shut up and watch." Percy, who had been just opening his mouth to ask a question, shut it again quickly. Annabeth raised her eyebrows at Leo's aggressive behaviour.

**WARNING : Mentions of suicidal thoughts.**

_After hacking the phone, Leo clicked on the music app and chose a group of files called Leo's music. He selected one song and placed the phone on the floor in front of him. He took a deep breath and the music began to play._

_"Feel it cutting into me, the doubting painful knife_

_Feel it deepening the rift, finally hit just right_

_Couldn't take the love I had, so weak and burning low_

_But it grew into a weapon only hurting me, this I know_

_...is non fiction." _

_As he sang the first verse he summoned a small flame that grew into a dagger when the words "Painful knife" were sung._

_"So good with numbers, science, math I like_

_But I'm terrible at English so I despise_

_This part of me that wants a simple "right or wrong"_

_And I feel that everything I choose will always be false" _

_He threw his hands in the air in an exasperated gesture._

_"And today, this homework, about me. A blank sheet, accomplished, content with this life I will now live. Til I think why are we just sometimes, no always, saying how we're sad and saying how we're lonely?"_

_He threw in a few quick foot movements and then he moved onto the chorus._

_"Can you even read the blackboard written clear as can be?_

_Can you even read his mind? See that kid's lost fantasy?_

_Can you even find the one who dyed his red heart to black?_

_Hey, who could it be?_

_Hey, someone tell me!"_

_As he sang the word "heart" he gesture to his chest angrily._

_"Can you even solve the question with your abacus yet?_

_Can you even stop the rope from hanging him by his neck?_

_Did we really choose it right saying we're okay this way?_

_Hey, just tell me how_

_It's not like I care now"_

_He mimed hanging himself, a desolate look on his face._

_"Counting days like numbers, they all pass their prime_

_And again hypnotically swimming through time_

_Behind the power and guards I put up_

_I hide_

_Knowing they had long died" _

_His face was covered by his hair then his hands._

_"From problems, my resolve, just can't solve, that homework. Accomplished, content with this life I will now live. Til I think and he speaks, that demon inside me, saying "let me just leave", saying __**"someone kill me!"**_

_Someone kill me was practically a shriek and Leo collapsed to the floor, his fists clenched in his hair, face turned to the floor. He then leapt up in a jerky, angry movement and repeated the chorus. Then it was time for the final verse._

_"Can you even say the formula of area now?_

_Can you even scream the dreams you swore would never go out?_

_Who was the one who let my hopes just curl up die?_

_Hey, who could it be?_

_No, it's gotta be..._

_Just open up your eyes, why don't you grow up and see?_

_But what the hell is "growing up" and tell me when will I be?_

_Can a single person out there just explain it to me?_

_Hey, just tell me how_

_It's not like I care now!"_

_The line "but what the hell is "growing up" and tell me when will I be?" was spat with particular venom as was the final line. Leo was crying by the end, exhausted by the admittance of his own feelings._

Annabeth felt tears dripping down her own cheeks.

"Gods, Leo."

* * *

I seriously recommend listening to this song to truly understand this chapter. And just to clarify, Annabeth was the last ot speak. I used all of the song as I think that the song as a whole sums up a very dark part of Leo's soul so I'm sorry if you didn't like the way it was written. And I apologise for any Spanish mistakes. As always, feel free to review.


	15. Chapter 15

Yeah, that was a really angsty chapter, sorry. But in this chapter they actually have to resolve the issues brought up last chapter. So, this chapter will also have references to suicidal thoughts and peer pressure into drinking so if that is a sensitive subject for you then please be wary. And I was wondering if you wanted me to bring any other characters in though I can't bring anyone in who is dead or not part of the plot at the time of this story. Thanks everyone who faved and followed.

Pacenya347 : I'm honoured that you consider this your favourite story :)

Haylee : Thank you for the review and It's not obsessive, I do that all the time.

Enhisbeautiful : Thanks, and don't worry I am going to keep writing this.

Fantasiedreamar : It is a great song, and yes, poor Leo indeed.

Kittehx1 : I hope that you didn't hurt yourself and I'm glad that you enjoyed the memories.

QueenofLothlorien : Thank you for my penguins (I'll take the chocolate version, I prefer Dick Grayson to the Penguin). And I wish you a good evening as well :)

AmaebLEO : I hope that you enjoy the song and thanks for reviewing.

Catsrawesome : Unfortunately, the only way for him to be saved is through the help of his friends (*puts on Robin costume* though if you want to ... liberate him from Rick Riordan then I'm up for it).

Awesometacos : I hope that you also enjoy the song and I am the sadistic one for writing it!

DamnYouPeopleWithCoolUserNames : If only I was a Goddess, then maybe I could meet Leo. And I'll be using one of your ideas in this chapter so thank you.

Kodamnation : Yes, I think the song goes well with the darker side of Leo's personality.

DauntlessareinCampHalfBlood : Oh no! *Tries sticking your heart back together with tape.*

Septimus : I'm dreading writing it! And the jail memory will be in this chapter.

Our Mismatched Socks : I'm glad that you enjoyed it :)

Killua minamoto : I'm sorry that I didn't do it the way you wanted :( And now I have the image of opera singer Leo stuck in my head.

Ybbilicious : Our little Leo makes a great lion.

Guest : Is this soon enough?

ObsessedwReading : Thank you so much! I'm trying my best to properly convey the emotions.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I'm sorry if the chapter upset you due to your personal loss :( Though I hope that you have a good evening.

Septimus : I'm not American either (I'm English) but Leo grew up in Houston so I assume he would be able to at least copy the Texan accent.

Disclaimer : As I said, I'm fully willing to liberate Leo from Rick, but until that happens, I cannot claim the PJO world as my own. Nor can I claim Simba or the Avengers.

* * *

Leo's P.O.V

Leo was screwed and he knew it. His friend's eyes were no longer filled with compassion, no; they were now filled with the deadly emotion of pity. And Leo couldn't take it.

"Will you stop looking at me like that?" Leo's voice was loud and rude, even to his own ears but he couldn't take the pity. He didn't need to be pitied, he didn't want to be pitied and he wouldn't accept being pitied. Once again, he rose from the couch, fully intending to storm out of the room, Hera be damned, but a hand around his wrist prevented him from moving.

"Let me go!" He snarled, but the hand tightened. His power flared, and it took every piece of restraint that Leo possessed not to burn Jason (who was the one holding on to him).

"No, Leo. No more running. I won't let you leave us over this." Jason's voice was shaking, as was the hand that was wrapped around his wrist. If Leo was fast enough, and Leo was pretty sure he was, he could still follow through with his plan to leave.

"Please, we want to help. Please don't leave us." Leo was shocked out of his dark musings by the sound of Percy Jackson begging for him to stay. Percy wasn't really the begging type, unless his fatal flaw kicked in and he became really worried for a friend. And while a part of Leo was touched at the protection being offered, he recoiled from the fact that his friends seemed to think that the minute he left them he would off himself.

"I'm not going to kill myself over this, so just let me go!" Leo demanded. Then he was pulled back into a tight hug. He squirmed but to no avail, Jason wasn't letting him go.

"I said no more running, Leo." Jason's voice was determined, and Leo knew that he had no chance of actually getting away without hurting at least one of his friends. He knew that he was completely screwed when Jason dragged him over to the couch and sat down with Leo still in his clutches.

Percy's green eyes were locked onto his brown ones and Leo flinched at the intensity in their depths. He had never wanted to run from his friends more than he did then. Piper sat next to his human prison and her hand found his. Leo pulled his hand away, he didn't like being forced into talking like this and at the same time, he knew that his body temperature was rocketing. How Jason was still holding him he'd never know. Never the less, Piper once again took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Please talk to us." She implored. Leo broke away from Percy's gaze to stare at the floor. His hands instinctively sought his tool belt, and he began tinkering, trying to ignore his friends questioning gazes.

"Leo!" Annabeth's voice held a command, yet Leo didn't yield. His legs were aching to run, to leave, to go find an alley to cry in, yet he couldn't do it. His body wanted to run yet his heart and his head wanted to stay. He loved these people. He slowly raised his head.

"How many times?" Frank's voice trembled, and Leo was confused at how upset the changeling sounded. He still played dumb though.

"How many times what?" Leo's voice remained steady and innocent, a true testament to just how good of a liar he is.

"How many times have you considered ending it all ?" Hazel took over from her boyfriend with the questioning.

"Can't we just watch another memory?" Leo was really starting to feel desperate now.

"No, we can discuss what we just watched." Percy was showing no mercy. Leo took a deep breath, he wasn't getting out of this without confessing something.

"A couple of times." Percy's fists clenched and Piper's hand tightened.

"Have you ever ... tried anything?" Hazel's voice was tentative. Leo remained silent, a pit colder than Khione twisting in his stomach. Tension pervaded the air, rippling through each of his friends.

"How?" Percy's voice was wavering and Leo looked up in a sort of numb confusion, noticing the tears streaming down all of his friends faces.

"Knife. Overdose. I considered jumping off the Arg ... from a great height once." Leo knew that they had all caught his little mistake and a sick wave of dread swept over him.

"You were going to jump off the Argo? When?" The other's were openly weeping as Jason choked out this question.

"The night after seeing Nemesis, I had a nightmare, and I wasn't going to do it. I just sort of contemplated ." Leo fumbled over his words, struggling to find a way to justify what he had just said.

"I'm going to kill that stupid witch!" The vehemence in Hazel's voice as startling when compared to her usual gentle way of speaking.

"How many times?, " Annabeth was still caught up on that question "and I want a more specific answer for how many times you've thought of doing ... that, and how many actual attempts you've made. Leo shifted uncomfortably but he knew that the others would get their answers one way or another.

"I've had over 100 thoughts but only three actual attempts and I stopped myself every time." Leo felt a shudder pass through Jason.

"You've really tried it?" Jason's voice was broken, as if something in his world had been knocked out of alignment by Leo's confessions. And maybe it had. Leo knew that the others had thought before this experience that Leo was only capable of being the clown of the group. And now his façade had shattered, and they knew the truth, that Leo held darkness behind his smile. Yet they weren't leaving him. They were still concerned about him, still wanted to help him.

Something shifted inside of Leo, something that had been broken for a very long time. Trust was rekindled in Leo's heart, and although the flame burnt low, at least it was there. The dam broke. Leo turned to hide his face in Jason's shoulder to try and disguise his tears from the others. Which was a failed endeavour as they could probably see him shaking. Piper had also been dragged into the hug because when Leo turned, her hand had been trapped between the boys. Her other arm wrapped around Leo's shoulders. He felt other arms entwining around him and soon they were all sitting there in a big group hug.

"Please don't ever think of leaving us - of leaving me - again." Jason muttered in his ear.

"I won't." Leo's reply was loud enough for the entire group to hear despite the fact that he now had a sore throat and blurred vision from crying.

Eventually, the group broke apart, though Jason and Piper kept their arms around Leo, as if needing tangible evidence of his continued existence. The demigods had visibly calmed, and the screen seemed to recognise this as a new video began playing.

_Fifteen year old Leo was slumped in a jail cell. His hands were free, but there was absolutely nothing in the cell for him to fiddle with, and his hands were anxiously tapping away at his knee in an effort to stave of the apparent boredom. Officer Cormac suddenly appeared in front of the bars, eating what seemed to be a chicken leg and a spiteful smirk resting on his face._

_"It's nice to see an animal like you caged up where you belong." The voice was taunting, and Leo glared up at the corrupt officer._

_"You should be behind the bars for that act of cannibalism right there. After all, chicken korma eating chicken must be against the law, hmm." The cocky tilt to Leo's lips enraged the officer, who flew at the bars, gripping the steel with vice like hands. To Leo's credit, the boy didn't flinch._

_"I'd keep your mouth shut if I were you, the only reason that I ain't beating the stuffing out of you at this moment are these bars."_

_"And all the people in hearing distance." Leo helpfully supplied. Cormac gritted his teeth._

_"Well, you won't be running ever again. I've seen to that." On the outside, Leo didn't appear ruffled by this statement, but his inner turmoil was betrayed by the increasing tempo of the beat he was tapping out on his knee. The screen translated his tapping as morse code for "eat my shorts, butt face."_

Some snickering was heard from Percy.

_"You see, orphan brat, the government are a little fed up of having a young tearaway such as yourself constantly eluding social services and have decided to cough up the money to send you to a special place called the Wilderness school, a corrective behaviour facility in the middle of nowhere. So you see, Valdez, there won't be any place for you to run." The officer walked out laughing._

_"You're still a cannibal." Leo mumbled bitterly after Cormac had flounced out of the room._

"So that's how you ended up in the Wilderness school." Jason said contemplatively.

"Yeah, well at least I didn't have to deal with Cormac's shining personality while I was there." Leo's smile was finally back in place, and this time Leo wasn't using humour to hide his problems. The sarcastic comment had been a natural remark that stemmed from leo's personality. He didn't miss the looks of relief he got. He decided to return to drawing his picture.

Jason's P.O.V

_The Argo's hallway flashed into view. It was the boy's bedroom corridor, and Leo was walking along it slowly. He stopped outside of Percy's room, where you could hear Percy and Annabeth discussing their old adventures. Leo smiled gently, and continued on his way._

_He stopped outside of the TV room, and poked his head through the doorway subtly. Coach Hedge was screaming at the television enthusiastically, watching a wrestling match. Leo nodded before withdrawing, and turning to the dining room._

_When Leo glanced into the dining area, you could see Piper and Jason sitting at the table, sharing a quick snack and discussing the camp. Leo once again smiled in a satisfied way. He observed Hazel and Frank on the deck keeping watch, before he finally returned to his room. He sat on his bed and let out a sigh of contentment. he drifted of to sleep only a few minutes after taking of his toolbelt and kicking of his boots._

_"Leo ... Leo ... Leo." A familiar voice was calling Leo's name, and when his eyes flickered open he was standing in a field filled with poppies. The figure of Gaia stood in their midst, the ever present dirt lazily floating around her._

_"My sweet Leo, I have brought you here to give you a proposition." The Leo in the dream cocked an eyebrow. _

_"I want you by my side Leo, a demigod of your power would be much more valuable by my side then on that wretched ship. And it's not as if your friends would miss you." Leo flinched almost imperceptibly, but a cruel glint in Gaia's eyes suggested that she had seen it. She went in for the kill._

_"With me you would never be the seventh wheel." The words seemed to strike a chord within Leo, as his dream clothes started smoking._

_"I'm sorry potty sludge lady, but if you think that I'll ever betray my friends to join you then you've got more screw loose than I thought. I would never, ever join you and very soon I'll be in front of you, face planting you Valdez style." Leo's words were spoken with complete sincerity, he was ready and willing to do anything against Gaia._

_"Foolish child, do you wish to be the Gods' puppet forever?" Gaia was still talking in her regular, sleepy voice though it showed hints of annoyance._

_"I'd rather be a puppet of the light than a slave to the darkness." Leo remarked with finality._

_"I will end you boy."_

_"Not if I end you first." Leo awoke with a gasp. And then he smiled with a touch of sadism ._

_"Trust me dirt face, my friends are going to prevail no matter what."_

Jason couldn't help but question Gaia's intelligence. Had she really thought that Leo would ever join her? The others were giving Leo amused looks.

"Just how much sass did you use then?" Percy was almost snorting with laughter.

"I used enough, Persassy." Was Leo's swift retort which sent them all into fits of giggles.

_Teen Leo was back on screen, though this time his clothing was radically different. He was still wearing black jeans, but these were splattered with neon multi-coloured paint. He was wearing a tight black tank top with a neon green mesh top over it. His feet were stuffed into heavy, studded doc Martens which matched the studded belt that hung on his skinny hips and had a chain that connected to his jeans pocket. A necklace skull was draped around his neck._

_Leo was lounging underneath a bridge with a few dozen other teens, most of whom appeared older than Leo himself. However, Leo didn't seem at all intimidated, in fact he was cracking more jokes than ever. _

_A shady looking bottle emerged from the overcoat of one of the older teens and it was passes around furtively, each member taking a sip until it reached Leo._

_"No thanks guys, I've got a big test tomorrow and I'd rather not be hungover. You all no what pain it is to try and do complicated arithmetic with a drill pounding in your head." No one laughed, and Leo gulped nervously at the change in atmosphere._

_"This is some of my dad's finest." The boy who had first brought out the bottle leaned in, apparently he was the leader of this little gang._

_"You ain't turning down some of my dad's finest, are you?" The question was accompanied by a menacing sneer. Leo swallowed again._

_"Come on guys, I really can't fail this test." Leo wheedled ever so slightly, clearly terrified of whatever punishment he might receive for not accepting the alcohol._

_"Everyone in this gang drinks, if you don't drink the you're not a member. If you aren't a member then you're an enemy. Understood?" The dark, maniacal tint to the leader's eyes encouraged Leo take the bottle and down a long sip. Everyone laughed and the tension began to diffuse. But the leader's eyes remained fixed on Leo and every time the bottle reached the small Latino he would smile eerily. Needless to say, Leo didn't remain sober for very long._

Jason was brimming with righteous fury. Those petty criminals had no right to force Leo into drinking with them. Annabeth was giving a lecture extolling the benefits of saying no to peer pressure, and Leo was starting to look a little irritated.

"It was drink the damn alcohol or have my throat slit and I chose a hangover to death." He blurted out and Annabeth instantly started apologising for misunderstanding the situation. Leo rolled his eyes.

"It's fine, I aced the test anyway." Leo gave her a cheeky wink.

"You aced a test hungover." Percy's voice radiated disbelief.

"Well, it was math." Percy shook his head.

"You sir, are impossible." Leo gave a mock bow.

"It's a gift." They all laughed again, and Piper and Jason came to the unspoken consensus that it was okay to release Leo. They didn't move any further away, though, even when they dropped their arms. Text suddenly flashed across the screen.

_We will be taking a short break after this memory so that you may relax for a few minutes._

Everyone shrugged and got ready to watch the memory.

_Pathetic coughing and sniffling was heard on the screen._

_"Lo siento, mijo (I'm sorry my son) but you are going to have to sit up to take your medicine." The image revealed a tiny Leo of about five lying in bed with a tissue box on one side and a stuff Simba clutched in his hands._

_"But mami, it hurted me." The voice was distorted by sickness and the adorable mangling of the English was even cuter when combined with the big, watery brown eyes. Esperanza Valdez was perched on the end of his bed, holding a spoonful of medicine._

_"It's hurts not hurted, mijo, and I know it does but you'll just have to be my brave little lion and take the medicine." With her free hand, Esperanza tapped out the morse code for "I love you"._

_Leo sat up slowly, revealing footsie Avengers pyjamas._

"AWW!" The girls squealed. Leo went bright red and a faint wisp of smoke danced over his hair.

_"If I take it you'll be happy, yes?" Leo's voice was still stuffy._

_"I will be the happiest mommy alive." Esperanza planted a swift kiss on Leo's nose before he accepted the medicine, pulling the cutest disgruntled face at the taste. Esperanza ran her hand through Leo's hair and he leaned into the touch._

_"When you are all better than I'll take you to the park and buy you some ice cream." She promised, and the sick child's face lit up,_

_"With sprinkles?" Esperanza nodded, and Leo launched himself into her arms._

_"Te amo mami (I love you mommy)." He whispered._

_"Te amo mi leoncito (I love you my little lion)." She whispered into the curly hair of her baby boy._

When Jason turned towards his friend, he expected him to look a little upset. But even though his eyes held nostalgia, Leo seemed fine otherwise. But he now knew how good of an actor Leo was and was about to question him when the aforementioned boy turned to hime and winked.

"Don't worry Captain America, I may still miss her but I still want to focus on the happier memories than on the sadder ones." Jason nodded, comfortable in the knowledge that Leo was not lying to him.

* * *

So they have gotten Leo to promise to never leave them (a little awkward if you know the ending). But yeah, I'm sorry if I mangled any Spanish and feel free to leave a review tekling me if I should bring any other characters in (remember, I can't bring anyone in who is either dead or hasn't came into the books yet properly e.g Nico).


	16. Chapter 16

Yay, Leo is happier. I don't know if I've done this yet (I know I've done it in response to reviews) but I'd just like to thank everyone for their ideas. It's nice that you respect my writing enough to allow me to trust me with your visions of Leo. And thanks to everyone who has faved or followed. I don't know if Frank is actually older than Leo, but let me have my quirks and accept that he is in this, same with the ages for the Nico memory, I tried to make them accurate. Oh, and this chapter will contain scenes of child abuse (nothing too graphic) so I will put a warning before those. If it is a sensitive issue for you then please look out for them.

Fantasiedreamar : The song is really addictive. And I found Lesassy funny :)

Pacenya347 : I'm sorry but I can't put Nico in as he is till in Tartarus/trapped in a jar at this point. Though their pasts may be intertwined a little in this chapter.

Great Faith : And I love all of you guys! Reading your reviews makes me excited.

AmaebLEO : Woah, so many ideas :) Thank you for all your contributions and you will be seeing them popping up throughout the rest of the story. And about the Nico thing, I may do one for him but I'm currently planning a sequel of this for with something else happening to Leo. So if I do do one for Nico, it will be in a while.

QueenofLothlorien : Thank you for your answer, and I'm glad that you like angst because this story still has a lot of angst to go. If I do you use your idea, then it will have to be temporary as I can't see Leo having that problem still, are you okay with that? And Grayson is another one of my fave characters.

Neon Wish : I'm glad that you like it :)

Our Mismatched Socks : Ooh, that idea is definitely being used this chapter, so thank you.

Catsrawesome : You can keep the costume, and I'm happy that you love it.

Kittehx1 : Yes, angry Leo is awesome.

The Golden Sun : Thanks, it's nice that you think it's amazing. And I don't know about the future thing, I kind of have an idea how I could do something like that so watch out for it next chapter.

ObsessedwReading : The feels for Leo are strong indeed.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : If you want to imagine the officers dying, please be my guest. And now I'm thinking of that skit...

Septimus : There will be another memory of him getting mistreated this chapter.

Killua-chan : No, I'm not that cruel :) And I'm happy that you think the characterization is okay and that I got the Spanish right (maybe I have learned something in my AS level lessons). And I'll do that idea for you next chapter. I'm sorry if the other didn't turn out the way you envisioned, I suppose I just took it in a different direction.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I will put a scene like that next chapter for you.

Elia the Huntress : I hope that's a good thing. And thanks for telling me the Spanish was correct, I try but even though I do study it, I'm far from fluent.

* * *

Disclaimer : Yeah, I still don't own them. Yes, that still saddens me.

Frank's P.O.V

During the short break, Frank had taken the time to splash some cold water onto his face in an effort to keep calm. Leo Valdez - the freaking imp who had teased him and made sarcastic quips since the beginning of the quest - had tried to... tried to... no, Frank couldn't even think it. He had been last to leave the room, and as he slowly returned, he attempted to concentrate on the good memories that they had seen. As he approached the door that had appeared in the room after the previous memory, he noticed his Latino friend sitting outside, his head leaning against the wall opposite the room, his mouth slightly open.

It was clear that the younger demigod was asleep. And Frank really couldn't blame him. The kid had been through so much, and Frank expected that Leo was exhausted, if not a little overwhelmed. Frank really didn't want to wake him, but they had been given a time limit for this break and he didn't think that Leo would appreciate being carried in bridal style while still sleeping. Reluctantly, he shook the other boy's shoulder. Leo rocketed awake, Frank's reflexes being the only thing that saved him from a fist to the jaw.

He was so startled that his reflexes also decided that the best defence would be for Frank to transform into an animal. A bunny to be exact. Leo, who had been wiping his eyes blearily, looked over at the bunny-fied Frank, and burst out laughing. This caused the others to come rushing out.

"Careful guys, wouldn't want you stepping on Frank now. He might leave a little pellet in your bed." Frank was unsure of how Leo could be so sarcastic after just waking up, and after he turned back into regular, old Frank Zhang, he was about to ask but the pleading look on Leo's face stayed his tongue. He supposed that he'd do Valdez a favour this once, maybe he'd lay off of the bunny jokes. But their friends weren't stupid and they instantly began questioning why Leo was slouched on the floor and why Frank had turned into a rabbit.

"I was coming back from the bathroom and I was thinking some things over. I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice Leo and I knocked him over, causing him to set a pretty intimidating blaze for a moment. Hence the transformation." Frank hoped that the others would buy it, but Annabeth wasn't a daughter of Athena for nothing.

"That tale seems awfully convoluted..." She trailed off, obviously speculating about the honesty of Frank's statement. Frank was sweating slightly, he knew this wasn't really a big thing, but Valdez trusted him to not reveal that he had been sleeping and Frank had recently realised that maybe he wanted Leo's trust. He knew the phrase was that you only realise how much you cared about something when it is gone, but the thought of losing the pyro elf had done the trick. Sure, Leo could be annoying and hyperactive and tended to spontaneously combust when excited. He was also funny, kind and a whole lot braver then Frank had understood.

"Yeah Frank, don't rabbit on. You startled me causing sparky boom boom time. I startled you causing nose twitching carrot time. The live of a demigod, where turning into a rabbit is considered a fairly normal occurrence." Leo was wearing his biggest imp grin, and the others gave in on trying to find a deeper meaning in the interaction. As they all returned to the room together, Leo leant in and whispered to Frank:

"Thanks for not letting the rabbit out of the bag." Before winking and settling himself on the couch. His sketch book was pulled out again, Frank wondered what exactly the son of Hephaestus had been drawing. The demigods were seated in their original positions, though they were all huddled up a little closer. Without further ado, the next memory started.

Piper's P.O.V

_Twelve year old Leo was standing in a large group of kids his age, gathered around what seemed to be a teacher. He was paying the teacher no attention, instead he was focused on the paper pirate that he was creating. It was good, it looked very realistic. _

_They spent a few minutes huddled around like that, the teacher giving strict instructions on where they could or could not go. They appeared to be standing in Franklin Square park. Once the teacher was done with their lecture, the kids dispersed, though they stayed in an area where the teacher could see them._

_Leo was about to follow a small gang of boys who had made their way to sit under one of the many trees, when he noticed someone staring at him. On a bench, not too far away from Leo, sat a boy of around ten. His hair and eyes were dark, but his face was filled with childish excitement as he gazed at the paper pirate in Leo's hand. _

Hazel, Percy, Annabeth and Frank inhaled sharply.

"Is that...?"

"It couldn't be..."

"He looks like..."

"Nico!" Hazel exclaimed, her eyes wide. Leo did a double take.

"Hold up, the random boy who I just happened to meet on a school visit to Washington D.C at the same time that he was visiting, and you're telling me he was the son of Hades!" Leo looked bewildered.

"That's definitely Nico, and from the looks of it, it's a couple of months before he discovers the fact that he's a demigod." Annabeth interjected grimly.

_Leo strolled over to the younger boy, who looked embarrassed at being caught out on his staring. Leo's friends called his name, but he waved them off. Nico looked more and more uncomfortable. _

_"Hey." Leo's tone was friendly and soothing. Nico still looked a little intimidated, but he was taking the opportunity to see the pirate up close._

_"Do you want this?" Nico's eyes went as wide as saucers._

_"See, if I try and take it back to Texas with me then it would probably just get destroyed. You seemed interested in it so if you want to have it then you can." Nico hesitantly took the small paper creation of Leo._

_"It's really good, how did you make it so easily and so quickly?" Nico was opening up to Leo a little bit._

_"I'm good with my hands," Leo shrugged modestly "I'll make you another one if you want." Nico nodded so enthusiastically that he almost fell off the bench._

_"Okay, what do you want me to make?" Leo started pulling miscellaneous sheets of coloured paper out of his bag. _

_"Could you make one that looks like this?" Nico slowly held out a Mythomagic card - Poseidon's card to be glanced over it before nodding. He sat down next to Nico and his hands got to work. Nico watched the entire process, awestruck._

_"Here you go." Once the paper creation was complete, Leo handed it over with a flourish._

_"Thanks." Nico started turning the amazing paper Poseidon over in his hands. Leo bowed before muttering bye and sprinting over to his friends. The screen remained on Nico as a taller girl with dark brown hair ran over._

_"Who was that?" She questioned, handing over one of the two ice creams that were in her grasp. Nico shrugged, still clutching his paper gifts._

"What are the odds of two demigods who don't know what they are discovering each other on a trip to DC?" Piper's boyfriend turned to Annabeth.

"They should be astronomical, especially considering the variables of both Leo and Nico's past." Annabeth looked to be in deep thought.

"I want to know if you always hand paper creations over to random kids."Percy gave Leo a strange look.

"He seemed like he'd appreciate it." Leo was still working on the pad, Piper was really curious about what he was doing but what from what she'd seen, Leo was keeping it a secret for now.

"He looked so happy..." Hazel's voice trailed of and she turned to look at Leo.

"I know you didn't know me back then, but thank you for making my brother smile." She smiled, and Leo's cheeks were tinted red. Luckily, the next memory started up before her friend could set himself on fire.

_A colourful room popped into view. Five year old Leo was sitting covered in paint, inside a complicated fortress of blocks. Other five year olds stared at him curiously every now and again, but other than that, they seemed to leave him alone. Within the block walls, Leo was painting a design for what looked to be an even bigger, better fortress that would utilize pillows as well. He seemed perfectly content. The teacher didn't._

_"Miss Valdez, you must realise that a boy with abilities like yours has so much potential, even if he's possibly ADHD and dyslexic." The two adults were standing in a small office looking out the happy Leo._

_"I want Leo to have as normal of a childhood as he can." Esperanza's voice was firm. From the exasperation on the teacher's face, this topic had clearly been discussed before._

_"So there is absolutely no way that you will consider having him tested to skip any grades in the future?" Esperanza shook her head._

_"If he wishes to take the tests when he is older then I will not stop him. But for now, my little boy will enjoy his childhood as much as he can." The teacher surveyed the resolution in Leo's mom's eyes and sighed._

_"Then this conversation is obsolete." The teacher glanced at her watch. "And just in time, you can take Leo home now, Miss Valdez. I will start seeing the others out. Goodbye." _

_As the teacher started preparing the other children to leave, Esperanza sat in front of the block fortress._

_"Time to go, mijo" She gently began removing blocks, and when Leo was completely visible, she reached inside and tenderly pulled him out. _

_"Maybe one day..." Esperanza shook her head, as if to clear away whatever she had been thinking about._

"You really are a genius!" Percy exclaimed. Piper felt herself raise an eyebrow, she knew that Leo was smart but she'd never really thought about just how capable Leo had been as a kid.

"I just made a block fort, it wasn't that impressive." Piper saw Percy's eyes widen.

"Dude, when I was five I could barely stack blocks, never mind make a fort out of them." Frank was nodding.

"And that painting was really advanced for a child." He butted in.

"Well I did draw the first design for the Argo when I was a kid. It's actually in crayon." The people who hadn't known this (Percy, Hazel and Frank) stared at Leo like he was insane.

"You drew the Argo in crayon when you were just a kid. Next you're going to tell me that you made a real working car out of a toy or something." Leo's grin widened.

"You didn't?" Jason asked this question with a touch of disbelief.

"In one of my foster homes there was one of those cars that you stick your feet through and walk around in. I happened to upgrade it, shall we say." Everyone shook their head's in disbelief. Piper wondered at what Leo could achieve when he got bored. The screen came back on.

**Warning : The scenes of drunken child abuse will be in this memory (also, any spelling mistakes in the man's speech are intentional).**

_Nine year old Leo was curled up in a dingy cupboard-like room. His head was buried in his knees, and he was clearly struggling to remain silent._

Piper knew that this wasn't going to be a good memory. Leo's face had gone carefully blank. She was relieved when Jason and Percy, seemingly catching on to the same thing that she had, wrapped their arms around him.

"You aren't going to like this." Leo stated. The boys simply hugged him harder, and Piper shifted so that she could keep an eye on Leo and the screen at the same time.

_"Where are you booooy." A drunken voice slurred. Leo grasped his knees tighter._

_"You're going ta get a real _ _hidin' from me boy if ya don't come here right now." The sadistic glee in the voice was terrifying. Leo remained in the tiny room, though he did silently slide under the ragged bed._

_"Naughty little boys need a punish... puni... punishment." He giggled at his own speech, and you could hear heavy boots getting closer and closer to Leo's hiding spot. The tiny Latino was quivering under the bed at this point, his eyes shut in a silent prayer. The door creaked open, adding to the horror movie like feel of the memory._

_"I tink that there's a kid hiding in here somewhere." The man belched, but only his nasty boots were visible to the child under the bed._

_"And I think he's here!" The bed was literally ripped away and Leo was exposed. The man leering over him was tall, especially when compared to Leo. Other than that and the maniacal glint in his eyes, he would have appeared perfectly normal._

_"Got you." He announced, darkly. Leo was frozen in fear, but when the man advanced, he scrambled backwards. His hasty movements were prevented when a foot stomped on his hand. Leo screeched as the foot ground into his hand. He started muttering in Spanish, but the words were to fast for the TV to translate in time._

_"Speak English ya dirty pig." The foot was removed, and Leo instantly cradled his hand to his chest. His relief only lasted a second before the large man was dragging him by his black curls. They made their way down a decent looking corridor then Leo was tossed into what must have been the sitting room. He stumbled and fell over an empty beer bottle._

_The man walked through the door in a way that would have been nonchalant if it wasn't for the drunken staggering. He reached a side table and picked up an open bottle of beer. As he staggered towards Leo, some of the foul liquid sloshed out of the bottle, splattering the tiny Latino and causing him to jump. Then the man was on him in a flurry of punches and kicks. A lot of them were dulled due to the man's inebriated state, and even more of them missed, but the ones that landed were brutal._

_After what seemed to be an eternity but was in actual fact a few seconds passed, the drunken man dragged himself off of the cowering boy and stumbled away. Little Leo remained bloody, bruised and beaten on the floor._

"Why?" Piper felt tears streaming down her cheeks and Leo looked over at her worriedly. The thought almost made her laugh, Leo had just been battered on screen and he was looking at her like she was the one needing comforting.

"Why have so many people hurt you?"

"I guess The Fates just hate me." Leo didn't seem to perturbed by this memory, considering the way he had reacted to the other abuse memory.

"You seem to be taking this better than you took the other one." Jason voiced exactly what Piper was thinking. Leo shrugged.

"We're going to watch bad memories and nothing I can do will stop that. I might as well stop causing trouble and get this over with so we can get back to saving the world." Piper didn't know whether to be relieved that there would be no more terrifying rage moments like before, or saddened that Leo was so resigned to watching such despicable memories.

"Just remember that we're here for you, Repair boy." She gave him her sternest look and Leo replied with his trademark smirk.

"I'm good. That happened a long time ago." Leo put his pad down for a moment, and stretched. Then he resumed whatever it was that he had been doing for the past few memories. Another memory began.

_Thirteen year old Leo was sitting next to a boy of approximately the same age. The second boy had extremely pale blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. They were clutching game controllers and laughing._

_"I'm definitely going to win this time." The pale boy declared. Leo shook his head with mock pity._

_"You do know, Jazz, that trying the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result is a sign of insanity?" Jazz elbowed him._

_"Will you stop calling me Jazz?" He implored. Leo pretended to think about it for a few moments, then he shook his head._

_"Nope." He replied, and his character on screen skilfully beat down the paler boy's._

_"Yes, I am the champion. Ballads will be made about the epic day were Sir Leo Valdez bravely defeated Sir Jazz for the hundredth time in a row." Leo mock bowed and pretended to be accepting a medal, wiping fake tears from his eyes. Jazz rolled his eyes._

_"Does the brave, humble Sir Knight Leo want his humble friend to retrieve a beverage for his awesome self?" Leo patted Jazz on the head._

_"I tried to tell people that sarcasm is infectious but they didn't believe me. Now look at you with a sense of humour of your own." He dodged Jazz's elbow this time and both boys laughed as Jazz left, presumably to fetch the drinks._

Piper noticed that Leo's scribbling had again increased in fervour, but decide to ignore it or her curiosity would kill her. The others were laughing at Leo's witty line, and Percy was marvelling at Leo's video game prowess. Piper rolled her eyes. They may be her family, but they were still idiots. As if he had heard her thoughts, Leo looked up and winked at her. She was glad that he was happier, it had hurt so much to hear his confessions. She knew that his past would always hurt him, but she hoped that there is enough memories like the previous one to help him through.

* * *

So this was not too sad, though poor Leo got hurt again :( And, if I got any facts about America wrong, I apologise but I'm English and I don't know too much about the geography of America. As always, feel free to leave me a review and I will see you next time (which should be really soon).


	17. Chapter 17

Two updates in two days! I'm on a role, and I updated The Skull and The Flame as well. Anyway, this memory won't be as angsty as the last but it will hold some elements of angst. And I know that Piper is the one who realizes that the line of the prophecy about storm and fire might not be a bad thing, but in this story it is Leo. Thanks to all who have faved or followed and I hope that you enjoy chapter seventeen.

The Golden Sun : I hope that it is worth your excitement.

Kittehx1 : I love it when Leo shows of his smart side in the books.

Pacenya347 : The timing is such a pain. I'm glad you liked it :)

Catsrawesome : Yay, I managed to make it funny!

MakaylaCO : Don't worry, I have at least ten more chapters left.

8839 : You are very welcome, thank you for such a nice review.

Neon Wish : I'm glad I didn't mess it up. And will duct tape fix your soul because I can ask Leo for some.

Our Mismatched Socks : Maybe I'll have a few more Nico cameos later on.

Awesometacos : I'll put that in next chapter ;)

Killua minamoto : You seem like a lovely person to me :) And we may be a little cruel for torturing the characters but at least we aren't doing it to other people. And it is my pleasure to use your idea. The memory was meant to be funny because of how sarcastic they were being (sorry if I didn't make that too clear).

Disclaimer : I can only dream about owning Leo and the Percy Jackson world, the Sims or Elmer Fudd.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V

Percy was still amused by Leo's sarcasm. He hadn't noticed until Hera had planned this little bonding excersize, but Leo's sense of humour was actually spookily similar to his own. As there wasn't much to discuss from the last memory so the next started up pretty quickly.

_Cowboy Leo was back, and he was once again perched on his horse. Except, this time, the situation seemed a bit more formal. There was no cowboy hat on his head, instead he was wearing a proper riding hat. His riding gear was spotlessley clean and his boots practically sparkled. A panel of judges were staring at the course that Leo's horse was standng in front of._

_A tense silence filled the air, and then it was broken by the announcement of Leo's name, the horse he was riding and the studio he was from. Leo trotted ito the ring where a serious of complicated jumps had been set up. Leo was clearly not at the novice section of the competition. _

_He started, and it was a flawless round. They nailed every jump, made good time and at the end, Leo sat perfectly straight and perfectly still. There was a round of applause as he made his way out of the ring. As soon as he was out of sight of the judges, he dismounted and hugged his horse fiercly. _

_"Good job, boy." He mumbled, the soft Texan twang still present. The horse whinnied and softly snuffled hs shoulder._

_The video skipped forwards to the award ceremony. Leo was standing beside his chestnut stallion in a line of about twelve competitors. He looked relaxed, but his hand was carding through his horse's mane. The third and second place were announced. And the the anouncer was pinning a blue rosettes to the bridle of Leo's horse he had won. The smile on his face was breathtaking as he leant into his horse and whispered :_

_"I couldn't do it without you."_

Percy smiled.

"Your horse said that he loved you." Leo turned to him with wide eyes.

"Really?" Percy nodded, and Leo looked delighted. Jason gave him a smile over Leo's head, thanking him for Leo that. Percy was glad that his power had contributed to the Latino's happiness. Leo had put his pad away for now, and he had started creating what looked to be a catapult pencil topper. Percy shrugged, the boy could create practically anything, why not make a pencil topper that doubles as a weapon? Percy's pen could turn into a sword, after all. The next memory popped up before Percy could ask about how other writing utensils could be turned into weapons.

_The video showed ten year old Leo sleeping before it faded into Leo's actual dream._

_Leo was sitting beside the door of a small apartment. He was pulling back the door stopper, apparently fascinated with the way it blurred into a double image when released. A voice could be heard, singing sweetly from some unknown room within the apartment._

Percy tensed. That voice... it sounded like... Calypso! But why would Calypso be in one of child Leo's dreams. It was just too much of a coincidence, first Nico, now Calypso. Percy must be hearing wrong. Leo, spotting Percy's strange behaviour, poked him in the forehead.

"What's up, Aqua Man?" Percy shook of his daze, that musn't be Calypso's voice.

"Nothing." He replied, though he was secretly glad when Annabeth's hand slipped into his and Leo leant on him a tiny bit.

_The view switched so suddenly that little Leo actually jumped. He looked around, bewildered and a little scared._

_"I'm coming little lion boy." The voice of Gaia rang around the cave that Leo was now standing in, but Mother Earth was no where in little demigod shuddered._

_"The forge, the dove, the lightning." Gaia murmured._

Jason and Piper looked as surprised as Percy felt. Leo looked even more.

"I'd forgotten about that." He exlained.

_"I'll crush them all." The voice said lazily. Blood started running down the walls, and Leo was rooted to the spot as the flood began filling the room. Soon, Leo was chest deep in blood, and the crimson liquid was rising._

_"The blood of Olympus will flow, young hero. And the we will see what you're made of." Leo went under. He woke up spluttering and crying faintly._

_"I will avenge my mother." _

Percy sighed sadly and ran a comforting hand down Leo's back.

"Why is it that Gaia focussed so much on you?" Annabeth was in a deep state of thought. Leo gazed at her warily.

"To storm or fire, the world must fall" She quoted, sneaking a quick glance at Leo.

"You are the only candidate for fire."

"Yeah but isn't the world falling a..." Leo's eyes lit up in excitement.

"Dios mío!"He exclaimed and several small fires sprouted in his charcoal hair.

"Gaia is the world!" When Leo pointed this out, the rest of the demigods also looked hopeful.

"So maybe we aren't destined to destroy everything." Percy felt relieved, and he was sure that Leo and Jason were mirroring the look of relief on his face. The next memory began.

_Esperanza was clutching the two year old Leo tightly in her arms. They stood outside of the front door to Rosa's house. Her face was a jumble of nerves. _

_"Tu Tía Rosa quiere conocerte (Your Aunt Rosa wants to meet you)." She plastered as smile on her face, but only after adding a quiet "finally" under her breath. She rapped on the door, and Leo's intelligent eyes seemed to observe his mother's discomfort. His face crinkled, but Esperanza kissed him on the head gently. He giggled, and a tear crisis was averted. The door opened ominously. _

_Aunt Rosa looked only a tiny bit younger, apparently bitterness had made her ugly early. Her hideous nose wrinkled in disgust as she eyed up the toddler._

_"Welcome, hermana (sister)." Her tone belied her words, Esperanza sounded anything but welcome in this house. Nevertheless, she strode in, baby Leo in her arms. As soon as Esperanza's back was turned, Rosa made a motion as if to bless herself._

"Did she think your head was going to spin one hundred and eighty degrees or something?" Percy was sniggering at the thought of little Leo doing a full demonic head twist.

"Something like that." Leo's mouth half quirked up.

_"Unclean devil child, born out of wedlock." She spoke quietly so that her sister didn't hurt her._

Percy's face fell.

"I don't think my dad would appreciate being called a devil." Leo was still smiling as he shot a tiny chunk of carrot that he had retrieved from his belt at Frank. Percy couldn't help but laugh as Frank glared.

_The sisters were now sitting opposite each other around a dining table. Leo had a pile of lego blocks and was absorbed in building a rocket ship._

_"I still can't believe that you kept him." Leo's mom almost spat out her tea at this._

_"The child is a freak, you aren't doing him any favours by keeping him." She said this in such a matter of fact way. Fury crossed Esperanza's face. _

_"I would thank you not to call my son a freak." She spoke curtly. Leo had completed the rocket ship already and pulled out some paper and felt tips._

_"No child should be able to build something like that at his age, he's going to be a freak show attraction or a science experiment one day." She sniffed haughtily._

"WHAT!" Percy shouted.

"I know, imagine the poor scientist. What did you discover about the subject today? Well I discovered that he can control fire and that he seems to be related to the Greek Gods. How's your experiment going. I learnt how to cook toast on both sides. Nice." Leo did this spiel with two different accents for the scientists, playing on his natural ability to try and diffuse the tension. It didn't calm Percy's ire.

"She suggested that you be used as a science experiment!"

"I'm sure that I would make a fascinating experiment." Was Leo's flippant response.

"That's not the point."

"The point is that I haven't seen her in years and hopefully will never see her again. She can't hurt me anymore, Percy." Finally Leo's words calmed the storm of rage within Percy.

"I'd like to see her try." Percy cracked his knuckles for emphasis.

_Esperanza looked about as amused as Percy had. That is to say, not at all._

_"You dare to call my son, tu sobrino (your nephew) an experiment!" Her raised voice caught the attention of Leo, who wandered over with his picture. He scarmbled onto his mothers lap, and proudly placed the picture on the table top for all to see. The picture was of Rosa as a witch. The likeness was uncanny considering a two year old had drawn it. _

_Rosa turned an interestng shade of puce, and Esperanza stood up, grabbing Leo and the picture in one fell swoop._

_"Adios, mi hermana (goodbye, my sister)" She blurted out before leaving the house with utmost haste. Once outside, she burst into laughter._

_"That was a very naughty thing to do, mijo." Leo looked straight into her eyes._

_"Pero, Tía Rosa es una bruja (but Aunt Rosa is a witch)."_

_"It doesn't mean that you can say that." Leo had the two year old equivalent of his usual cheeky smirk._

_"Es verdad (it is true)." Esperanza eventually muttered. They both started sniggering._

"Yeah, she is a brewcah." Leo winced at Percy's mangled Spanish.

"It's bruja." He corrected.

"That too." Now everyone was laughing, but Annabeth did swat his arm playfully.

"How much money do you reckon I would get for being a science experiment anyway. I mean, on the Sims you get a fairly crappy wage, plus I'd actually be exciting to experiment on so I think I'd be worth a little more."

"You're incorrigble." Annabeth stated.

"Hey, I thought I was incorrigble!" Percy exclaimed (winking at Leo to paly along).

"You're both incorrigble." Annabeth gave Percy evil eye.

"We can't both be the same thing." Leo pouted.

"But you're both demigods." Frank interjected.

"Zip it Zhang or I'll fetch Elmer Fudd." Percy and Leo both burst into a fit of giggles over this. Luckily, they calmed down in time to watch the next memory.

_A very rumpled looking Leo sat in the same clothes as the most recent gang video. His skin was pasty and his eyes were slightly bloodshot, but he was working through the test like a trouper. Everytime someone's chair scarped on the floor, Leo would flinch and mutter death threats in Spanish under his breath._

_He worked methodically, his pen rapidly moving across the page despite the look of nausea on his face._

_And depite the fact that he was evidently hungover, he was still the first to finish. He sauntered up to the teacher's desk and dropped his paper in front of him._

_"You may go, Valdez." He informed the boy, and Leo left the room at a normal speed. Once he made it to he corridor, however, he broke into a sprint. He made it to he toilet just in tim to retch and vomit._

Percy shuddered in sympathy, and he saw Hazel do the same (she was the most sick onboard the Argo due to her seasickness).

_It again skipped a few days to a much healthier looking Leo, though his knuckles looked bruised like he'd been throwing a few punches._

_The teacher was handing tests back. Leo's was palced in front of him. 100%._

"Told you I aced it." Leo said smugly.

* * *

So a few more happy memories and a few more angsty memories. And I'd just like to say that I'm not planning to go over thirty chapters for this fanfiction but I am planning a one shot sequel and a multi chaptered sequel as well as a few other stories so I am going to keep writing Leo stories. Feel free to leave a review and I'll see you next time.


	18. Chapter 18

And here is a new update, only a few days after the others! This chapter will have major angst it will show a suicide attempt (I will put warnings in front of the memory as usual). I also know that it is no where near Christmas, but AmaebLeo suggested this and this story will probably be over by Christmas. Thanks to everyone who has faved or followed.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : I'm glad to be of service ;)

Enhisbeautiful : I'm glad that you love it.

Neon Wish : I hope that it turns out well.

Pacenya347 : Sorry (but I'm glad that you think it's amazing).

Kittehx1 : Yep, she is a horrible character. and thanks for continuing to read this.

Our Mismatched Socks : You're very welcome, thank you for reading it.

Catsrawesome : Doesn't everyone :( And he deserves it. Percy was a sweetie that chap.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I always smile at inappropriate times. And yep, poor Leo. My dad is always shouting down my ears about sports :( And I hate Rosa as well.

Septimus : He's adorable and smart (smartdorable).

Guest : Thank you :)

Awesomtacos : I hope that the excitement is worth it.

ObsessedwReading : I'm glad that you think it's awesome. And it's set sometime in Mark of Athena before they find Nico.

Killua minamoto : I will have Leo tease a teacher this chapter, so thanks for suggesting it. And Leo is very smart! And you're welcome for the clip, I like adding Rosa in for angst.

Ybbilicious : Is this for soon enough? And I'm glad that you love it.

QueenofLothlorien : Don't apologise, you are being kind enough just by reviewing so it's never to late! I hope that you enjoyed your time in France. And I am sorry about the hearing thing. And he is a cute, sweet genius.

AmaebLEO : It will have to be a small memory as I've already done a lot of singing ones.

Disclaimer : I think that we all know by now that I don't own Percy Jackson. Lilo and Stitch is also not mine. The first and last science jokes are mine, the rest are not.

* * *

Jason's P.O.V

Jason was staring at Leo, wondering how he had missed so much about the Latino elf boy. He had always known that his friend was intelligent (it was kind of hard to miss) but he hadn't known that Leo was genius level smart.

Even as the screen began playing a new memory, Jason was still contemplating his friend in his head. He did turn to watch the screen as well.

_Leo was scribbling on a piece of paper glumly. He looked to be eight going on nine, and his lip was quivering ominously. A few opened presents were scattered around him, but he seemed completely focused on his pad. _

_"Leo, don't you want to play with one of your new toys?" A nervous looking woman asked. She had a kindly air around her, though the homely image was ruined by her jittery disposition. In the kitchen which was visible for just a minute, a man was attempting to cook a turkey. _

_"I'm drawing." Leo said off-handedly, but he did send the woman a reassuring (though shaky) smile._

_"What are you drawing?" She sat down next to Leo, and peered over his shoulder curiously._

_Leo tilted his picture, giving both his foster mom and the camera a better view of his mechanical reindeer. Some had been drawn in a way that exposed the ticking gears and circuitry inside. The most prominent was obviously Rudolph, with plausible ways for his nose to be a bright, shining red._

_"Leo, dear, you do know that Santa's reindeers are alive?" Her voice was politely confused._

"So she doesn't comment on your amazing drawing skills or the fact that you had made a realistic way to make mechanical reindeers." Annabeth said in a dissaproving manner.

"I had been labelled as a troubled child, she probably didn't want to set me off." Leo lifted his hands in a "what can you do way?". Then his pad re-emerged, and Jason watched as he began roughly sketching the couple on screen. Jason's eyebrow raised, and Leo shot his friend an impish grin.

"They tried." Jason inclined his head to show that he understood the statement.

_"Well Papa Noel (Father Christmas) doesn't exist so it doesn't matter."_

"You stopped believing in Santa when you were nine?" Percy looked horrified.

"I didn't have much reason to believe." Leo muttered, pencilling in some more details.

_"If Papa Noel was real, then my mami would be here." The lady's face plummeted, and Leo seemed to recognise her crestfallen look. Alarm crept over his features._

_"It's not that I don't appreciate what you have done for me, without you then I wouldn't have a proper home for Navidad (Christmas), but I... I have never had a Christmas without her. And if Papa Noel was real, then he would have brought my mami back." The lady's eyes filled with tears, and she kissed Leo on the head._

_"We can't replace your mother, and we certainly wouldn't think of doing so, but we do want you to have a good Christmas." Leo hugged her._

_"I miss her."_

_"I know."_

"If it's any consolation, I never believed in Father Christmas." Jason's admission didn't seem to comfort his friend in any way.

"What! That's a vital part of Christmas, dude you missed out big time." Leo seemed outraged that Jason hadn't experienced the true joys of Christmas.

"When we get back to the my Spanking hot war machine, we are so having a Christmas celebration." Leo spoke firmly.

"But it isn't Christmas." Hazel pointed out timidly.

"Who needs it to be Christmas to celebrate Christmas?" Leo replied cheerfully.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked quietly. Leo looked at him, serious for a second. Jason couldn't help feeling grateful that he had caught on to his friend trying to use humour to hide his pain.

"Look, it still hurts but I'm trying to focus on the good things we shared. I'm trying to heal." The last part was so low that Jason had to lean in to hear it. He decided to accept this, Leo had at least admitted to his pain. Hopefully the next few memories could help him with that. Jason didn't know ironic that this request was.

**Warning : Attempted suicide.**

_Leo was once again sitting in the bedroom that he shared with Jason in the Wilderness School. His head hung low, hair dishevelled and unkempt. Tears dripped into his lap, and his thin shoulders trembled. Next to him lay a folded piece of paper._

_"Damn it!" He whimpered. One hand twisted in his hair, and the other rooted for something in his chest of drawers._

_"You've done it this time Valdez, no where to run and no one to even care." His hand grasped something and he retracted it into his lap. The object was not yet visible, but the way Leo scrutinised it with pained eyes was probably not a good sign._

_With a sudden swift movement, Leo tilted his head back and put the object to his lips._

"NO!" Jason yelled out as he realised that Leo had been holding the medicine bottle seen in the earlier memory. Beside him, Leo was adding some more shading to his picture, though his hand was soft tremors ran through his hand.

_Literally a few seconds after Leo apparently downed the pills, a loud knock shook the door to it's hinges._

_Leo coughed the pills back into the bottle, a terrified look on his face as he slammed the lid back onto the bottle and launched it back into the drawer from which it had came._

_"Are you in there Leo?" Jason's voice rang out, a concerned element filtering into his voice. Leo was a pasty colour, mouth gaping open in shock at his previous actions._

_"Leo, please, Jason could let us in at any moment with his key, but I want to talk to you if you are willing to listen." Piper's voice seemed to snap Leo out of his daze. He scrambled to the door, plastering a fake smile over the grimace haunting his features. The paper had fallen to the floor and Leo kicked it under his bed._

_"I thought that the lovebirds had a date to attend to." His tone was light, which caused Piper to look at him suspiciously._

_"After the argument we just had, do you really think that I would go of on a date without coming here to apologise and offer my help with your English essay?" Piper's expression was genuine, and Leo looked away. _

_"And you, Blondie?" He somewhat directed at Jason._

_"Maybe I could help out with your essay as well." Jason was also scrutinising Leo._

_"Well if you both would rather watch and ADHD kid try to get work done instead of going on a date, then you're crazier than me." Piper and Jason both entered the room._

_"Well actually, we'd rather share pizza with said ADHD boy and help him out rather than just watch him." Piper held out a previously concealed slice of pizza that had been wrapped in a napkin._

_"Apology forgiven." Leo murmured, the pills long forgotten._

**Memory over**

Jason had the feeling that he had cried more while watching Leo's past than he had ever cried before in his life. But as he watched his best friend almost commit suicide, he couldn't stop the tears from trickling down his face. And not only had his friend actually came seriously close to swallowing those damned pills, neither he nor Piper had caught on to just how depressed Leo was.

Next to him, Leo was completely absorbed in his picture as if he was trying to block out reality itself. And Jason wouldn't stand for it. He leapt to his feet and grabbed Leo's tanned arm, pulling his shorter friend up with him. Leo's pad fell to the floor, as Jason squared off against his friend who had his eyes stubbornly pinned to the floor.

"Tell me." His voice broached no argument. Leo didn't even look up, even as their other friends flinched at the cold tone.

"Did you ever, ever, think about what your suicide would do to us?" Leo looked up in complete shock as Jason felt his usually pretty stoic face crumple.

He dropped to the floor, which accidentally tugged Leo into his lap. His knees locked around the shorter boy as the tears poured from his eyes, blurring his vision.

"Did you ever think that we would have never forgiven ourselves if you died? That losing you would be a fate worse than death? You are my little brother and... Gods Leo! I need you!" Jason's breath hitched, and at this point he couldn't care less that he was weeping on the floor with his friend imprisoned in his arms. Because he had been so close to losing Leo, that he just had to hold the boy to make sure that the fatal mistake hadn't ended with one less friend to help fulfil the prophecy. One less friend to stand at his side.

Piper joined them, wailing more than Jason.

"You were going to... because of me!"

"Not just... look... it wasn't. I had been thought of trying since the minute I was thrown in that stupid school with no where to run. You and Superman here stopped me. If you two hadn't arrived, then I definitely would have ended it." That only eased a tiny bit of Jason's burden, he still could have lost his friend.

Despite the fact that nothing from the last memory had been resolved, the next memory still started up. Jason shifted so that he and Leo could both see the screen, but he didn't release the Latino boy, and Piper also held onto their friend.

_The image shown was of the outside of the Wilderness School before it panned into a counselor's office._

"Look, Hera learnt how to use Powerpoint." Leo bravely made a joke. Jason simply held him closer.

_"So, how do you feel today, Leo?" The way to chirpy counsellor asked. Leo was sitting semi-upright in his chair._

_"I feel great." He answered, distractedly._

_"And why is that?" The same cheery tone was used. Leo was busy staring out of the window. As the office was on the ground floor, you could see Piper and Jason through the window, clearly waiting right outside the office for Leo._

_"I made another friend." Leo didn't notice the look of glee on the counsellor's face._

_"Well that is good progress!" He exclaimed._

_"Can I go now?" The counsellor looked a little taken aback by Leo's directness._

_"I suppose if you have nothing to discuss..." He was cut off by Leo grabbing his back, darting to the window and flinging it open._

_"Thanks Counsellor." Leo then chucked himself through the window, rolling to a stop behind his friends and then leaping up to place an arm around both of their shoulders._

_The counsellor stared out of the window._

_"God he's a strange one."_

"I remember that." Jason stated.

"Why did you jump out of the window?" Frank inquired.

"Doors are overrated, windows are unexpected." Leo managed to squirm around to look at Jason.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think of what would happen to you guys, I didn't really think at all. It was just one of those moments were everything gets to be too much for you. And I did stop myself."

"We're here to help you in those moments." Percy's eyes were burrowing into Leo's.

"I know."

"And that means we're here for any problem you have." Annabeth chimed in, sounding like a mother hen.

"I know."

"And you better not try anything like that again."

"I know, I know. Gods guys, I get it. Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten."

"Did you really just quote Lilo and Stitch?" Piper ruffled Leo's hair in a sisterly way. Another memory started before they could descend into a quote war.

_Leo was once again sitting in a Wilderness school classroom, flanked either side by Piper and Jason._

_The teacher was droning on at the front, and Leo was looking more and more agitated._

_"Sir, Sir." He called out. Piper groaned and Jason sighed in exasperation as other members of the class perked up in anticipation of a Leo style distraction. The teacher turned slowly, clearly used to Leo's unorthodox behaviour._

_"Yes, Mr Valdez." The tone was long suffering._

_"Why has Oxygen not been arrested yet?" _

_"I beg your pardon?" The teacher already looked defeated, and Leo was just getting into this._

_"It's committing adultery isn't it? It bonds to one hydrogen atom and then goes and bonds to another to make water!" Leo looked genuinely puzzled, but anyone who knew him would see the twinkle in his eye that suggested mischief._

_"Can I get back to the lesson at hand please, Mr Valdez?" The teacher was about to turn towards the board when Leo continued his harassment._

_"Is H2O4 drinking?" _

_"What?"_

_"If the Silver Surfer and Iron Man team up, are they alloys?"_

_"Valdez!"_

_"Is the element of surprise on the periodic table, and is its element AH?"_

_"One more joke Valdez, and you are gone."_

_"I'd rather be Neon."_

_"OUT!"_

Annabeth laughed and explained the jokes to the people who hadn't understood them. Soon they were all laughing, but Jason kept his best friend and his girlfriend close to him. He refused to lose them.

* * *

Sorry about all the angst lately! Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed it and feel free to leave me a review.


	19. Chapter 19

Hello guys, these memories should be more cute than angsty as the last couple have been pretty angst filled. Thank you everyone who has faved or followed.

Fantasiedreamar : I'm glad that I made you laugh :)

Neon Wish : Thank you.

QueenofLothlorien : You're other welcome, and I'll put another one in next chapter.

Kittehx1 : Nope (I enjoyed writing it).

Catsrawesome : Argon and Neon are both noble gasses.

Otaku With Cats : Thank you so much! And I'll try my best to keep it up.

Septimus : Good, I hoped to balance humour with angst.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : It's so hard to write with American terms :( I'm glad that you liked it anyway.

Luisa : I will keep writing so thank you.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Being strange is definitely better, and of course I'll help you break the fourth wall to liberate Leo.

Killua minamoto : I'm sorry, I'll try to make the jokes easier to understand. Okay, to make water oxygen must bond with two hydrogen. H2O is water, and when you say H2O4, it sounds like H20 for drinking. Metals are alloys (Silver and Iron). Argon and Neon are both noble gasses.

Our Mismatched Socks : He's a lot smarter then most authors give him credit for.

DamnYouPeopleWithCoolUserNames : I jump for joy whenever I get such lovely reviews! And I'll put that in this chapter for you.

ObsessedwReading : It's my pleasure :)

Disclaimer : I think that you understand by now that I only own this plot.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V

Annabeth was amused at the scientific jokes that Leo had created. The younger demigod seemed able to put humour in any situation. Over the past few months, Annabeth had seen this quality as something negative, Leo had never taken anything too seriously during the quest in her eyes, but now she could see that Leo had developed a necessary survival skill.

She knew what is was like to live on the streets and on the run, but at least she had had Thalia and Luke. Leo had had practically no one. Occasionally he would make a friend, but then he would leave and they would be a distant memory. She wondered what was the longest friendship that Leo had ever had.

_Thirteen year old Leo was casually perched on top of Jazz in Jazz's living room. Both boys were laughing helplessly, and Jazz kept making half-hearted attempts to break free._

"_Get of me you imbecile!" Leo shifted position, and Jazz winced slightly._

"_Damn, your butt is bony." Jazz continued squirming, but Leo some how remained balanced._

"_I'll get off if you admit that I'm the best gamer in the world."_

"_Never!" _

"_Then I hope you're comfortable because I can sit like this all night." To emphasize his point, Leo folded his legs and leant back like he was on a recliner._

"_Why am I friends with you again?" There was no malice in Jazz's voice when he asked this, and Leo's grin turned even more mischievous._

"_Because I'm the best gamer ever." Leo declared. Jazz groaned._

"_Fine, fine, you are the best gamer ever." Leo whooped in triumph and leapt up, punching the air excitedly. _

"_Not." Leo turned on the paler boy, a fake dark aura spreading around him. Jazz cocked one hip challengingly. Leo let loose a war cry and tackled the other boy. They wrestled on the floor until a they were called into the kitchen. Leo released Jazz from his chokehold, and they untangle their legs and staggered into the kitchen together._

Annabeth gave Leo a look.

"Boys." Hazel and Piper nodded in agreement. The boys looked offended.

"Be careful Annie, you're starting to sound like a Hunter of Artemis." Annabeth glared at Leo, and the pyro boy cowered.

"Don't call me Annie." Leo nodded, and Annabeth smirked in satisfaction. Percy snickered, and she turned her glare on him. Her boyfriend gulped though any lecture she had prepared was cut of by the next video.

_Twelve year old Leo was sitting in a nursery like room, rocking one baby in his arms and bouncing a toddler on his legs. He looked incredibly tired, but satisfied at the same time. Then the baby in his arms began crying, and Leo started crooning a lullaby in a mixture of Spanish and English. Once the baby had quietened down, he stood, keeping the baby in one arm and nestled into his chest while transferring the toddler to his hip._

_He made his way to one of the cribs in the room and gently placed the now soundly sleeping baby into it. The toddler let out a low whine, and Leo placed him on the chair, pulling a funny face which made the toddler laugh._

"_Alright, Sammy, it's bedtime now." The toddlers eyes filled with tears._

"_Don't wanna." His tiny fists clenched in Leo's shirt._

"_I will stay with you." Leo said in a placating way. The child nodded enthusiastically and Leo carried him over to the small bed in the other corner of the room. It was lucky that Leo was short and skinny otherwise he wouldn't have fit on the bed. As it was, Leo curled up with the tiny boy, hugging him protectively. He had placed himself in a way so that he could keep an eye on both of his young charges. They remained like that for a short while, when the door cracked open quietly._

_A couple put their heads in and observed the scene. Leo propped himself up on his elbow and nodded in greeting._

"_Thanks for looking after your siblings Leo. You did a great job." Leo yawned._

"_Anytime." He stated sleepily before snuggling back under the covers with his younger foster sibling._

"You are really good with kids." Piper was smiling with sisterly pride, and Annabeth felt a similar emotion well up within her. She knew that she had claimed that Leo was a part of her demigod family, but now she was really starting to feel like he was a younger brother.

It was weird, she had acknowledge Leo as an important part of the quest but she was only now realising that that implied a deeper connection between them all. He wasn't just the repair boy, or even just the one who could set himself on fire. He was their brother and maybe he deserved more respect then Annabeth had given him in the past. She silently resolved to herself as the next video started, that she would try to treat Leo as a part of the family, not as an annoying addition.

_Seven year old Leo was sitting in a small group of Latino children. They were speaking to each other in a rapid mix of Spanish and English, using the two in a complimentary manner, as if they were just two pieces of the same language. He appeared totally at ease with this unusual language style._

"_Y voy a hacer la mejor autómata (and I am going to make the best robot)!" His voice was dreamy, even as the other kids gave him odd looks. His hands were twitching, as if he was building the robot in his mind even as he had this conversation._

_In the distance, a group of parents (including Esperanza) sat watching over the children._

_One little girl came and sat next to Leo._

"_Como (how)?" Leo looked at her, delighted, and began rattling off a very complicated process for making the best robot ever which was made even more complicated by the way he swapped between English and Spanish. The girl looked enthralled, however._

"_Pienso que puede hacerlo (I think that you can do it)." Leo hugged her._

"_Sofia." A young Latino lady called out, and the girl hastily said a flustered goodbye before running up to her mother. Esperanza also came over and picked up Leo, who grinned up at her._

"_Sofia es una buena amiga (Sofia is a good friend)." Leo nodded in agreement with his mom's words._

Leo was once again drawing away, and Annabeth finally pieced together what he was doing. His drawing had intensified after every memory that had introduced a happy influence from Leo's past. Every person who had a positive impact on Leo's past, he was drawing a picture of them. Pleased with her deduction, Annabeth settled into a more comfortable position. She wouldn't tell the others, Leo could reveal it himself if he wanted to.

_Leo and Layla were seated in a nice restaurant, both looking highly nervous. Leo's hands were rapping on the tabletop and Layla was twirling a piece of her around her finger incessantly._

Annabeth heard Piper actually hiss at the girl who had screwed up Leo's life. She seemed to relax when Leo patted her knee.

_A waiter made his way over to the table carrying a few plates of food, but at that unfortunate moment, Leo stood up burbling that he was going to the toilet._

_The plates few everywhere, and Leo watched in horror as the food splashed all over the floor. The waiter looked murderous and the manager looked worse. Layla darted out of her seat and grabbed Leo's hand._

"_Run." She instructed, and Leo obeyed, throwing some money over his shoulder. The teens sprinted away, ending up in a nearby park. They doubled over, but only Layla appeared winded._

"_I'm so sorry!" Leo blurted out, face coloured with shame. Layla laughed, and Leo looked at her in confusion._

"_Did you see his face?" _

"_You aren't mad that I've just ruined the date?" Layla rolled her eyes._

"_You haven't ruined anything Leo, that was hilarious. Not your typical first date, I'll grant you that, but the night's young. We can just do something else. Leo looked stunned. He stared in wonder at Layla for a few seconds, then he pulled her into a loving kiss. They melded together, and, if only for a moment, the young couple were perfect._

"_You are extraordinary." Layla giggle at the compliment. They wondered around the park for a short while and Leo bought them both ice cream. Leo got triple chocolate, and Layla got fudge. _

_Leo gave Layla a cheeky look, before leaning over and licking her ice cream. She swatted him playfully, before going to lick his ice cream. Leo danced away, and Layla pouted._

"_Why can you have some of mine but I can't have any of yours" _

_Leo licked his ice cream slowly, and then kissed Layla with the remnants of the sticky treat still on his lips. Layla blushed massively, sub consciously licking her lips when Leo drew away to remove any trace of the chocolate ice cream._

"_Happy now?" He hummed as he continued eating the treat._

"_No." Leo turned in confusion, just in time for Layla to smash her ice cream into his face._

"_Hey!" He spluttered, but all protests were ended when Layla gave him another kiss, longer than the previous two._

"_Now we're equal." She stated happily and she continued walking away, leaving Leo behind who's brain was obviously short circuiting. Fudge ice cream was still coating his face, but his sunny smile was still visible as he jogged to catch up with his girlfriend, their hands lacing together shyly._

"I still hate her." Piper grumbled., but Annabeth had noticed the creepy Aphrodite-esque smile that had been prominent on her friend's face during the more lovey dovey scenes. Leo looked to be having his own internal debate before he continued sketching. Jason glanced down at the picture and a small glint of happiness showed in his eyes. Annabeth assumed that this meant Leo had added Layla onto the picture, and Jason was taking this as a sign that Leo had fully moved on from the break up. A flicker of pride ran through Annabeth as she observed the strength of the son of Hephaestus.

* * *

A lot of happier memories this time. And I did this in Annabeth's point of view because I think she is one of the ones who needed something like this the most, a period of time to reflect on her relationship with the younger demigod and decide on whether or not she accepted him.


	20. Chapter 20

I'm so sorry, I forgot to wish you all a Happy Easter (or Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Easter). And HOLY HEPHAESTUS 309 REVIEWS AND OVER 100 FAVES AND FOLLOWS! Thank you all so much, I never expected this story to do so well so I really appreciate everything. And, a warning for this chapter , AmaebLeo has given me a very sad idea that involves death during childbirth, so I will put a warning in front of that memory. Also, if you think I should reply to reviews at the end of the story instead of the beginning then tell me as they take up a lot of space.

Abigaia the Wolf : Thank you, though I hope hat I don't make you cry too much.

Neon Wish : Thanks :)

Enhisbeautiful : Thank you.

Pacenya347 : I thought it would be an interesting perspective, glad you liked it.

Epiphany Aria Grace : Thanks, I'm glad that they were cute and in character.

Kittehx1 : Yay... and now it's time for more angst.

Jacquiewilson : I already have :)

WitchoftheMountain : I'm glad that it was realistic.

Catsrawesome : You're very welcome, and that situation is about to get worse.

QueenofLothlorien : There will be more Spanish and more Jazz in later chapters :)

BlazingFlames22 : *Helps you build that shelter* you might need that now...

Guest : It's not ending yet.

FracturedSanity419 : Your wish is my command.

Sracha1713 : I might, but I still have a lot planned for Leo so...

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Happy Easter! And I'm glad that it made your day better.

AmaebLEO : I'm doing one of your ideas now but I'm doing it slightly differently and I'll do the other next chapter, and I'm happy that my Fanfictions mean so much to you.

Septimus : Yeah well, this chapter might just change that.

Killua minamoto : Well there is, more angst this chapter :)

Random person : Here you go.

MakaylaCO : Here's more.

Bdog123 : Thank you.

Gguueesstt : Is that good or bad?

Anabella : Greetings from England, and it's spelt fine.

Our Mismatched Socks : I'm glad that it was a good choice.

Willowleaf : Thanks :)

Disclaimer : Not mine :(

* * *

Piper's P.O.V

Piper was determined to hate Layla for breaking Leo's heart, but that memory had been so adorable. Romance and love were a part of her, no matter how much she tried to break away from that stereotype. She was especially interested in the affairs of her friends as she wanted them to be happy. The screen came to life, and Piper settled in to learn a little more about her hyperactive friend.

**Warning : Mentions of death during childbirth.**

_Leo was staring at a soaking wet Layla in absolute shock. The girl was sobbing and shaking as she stood on the doorstep of a nice looking house. They were both older now, around sixteen, Leo had clearly been put in a house close to the place he had been living in when he met Layla._

"_Please Leo..." She trailed off, and Leo nodded numbly stepping aside to allow the drenched girl to enter. He got her settled on the couch and then left the room. _

_He returned a few seconds later with some tissues, a towel, a selection of biscuits and two cups of hot chocolate on a tray. He placed the on the coffee table and turned towards his ex-girlfriend._

"_What's wrong, Layla?" The severity of the situation was evident, as Leo made no jokes._

"_I'm pregnant." Leo almost choked on his hot chocolate._

"WHAT!" They all shrieked.

"It's not mine." Leo seemed sad, almost wistful, and Piper began dreading whatever this screen was going to show them.

"_That idiota (idiot)!" Leo shouted, looking murderous, but he calmed down as Layla burst into another flood of tears._

"_I can't tell him, it would ruin his life. And my parents would kill me. I'm so stupid." Leo hugged the girl, even though the towel hadn't done much to dry her._

"_How far along?" He asked, soothingly rubbing her back._

"_I don't know!" She wailed, clutching Leo tightly as she wept._

"_You have to tell them." Leo's voice was imploring and kind, but Layla still jerked._

"_They'll hate me." She whimpered._

"_They won't Layla, it will be alright." She burrowed into his arms._

"_I wish I was still with you." She hiccupped desperately. Leo just held her as she cried._

_Nine months later._

_Four concerned looking adults sat with Leo and the boy with whom Layla had cheated on Leo in a hospital waiting area. They all looked tense._

"_Why are you even here in the first place!" The boy burst and Leo looked at him tiredly._

"_Because Layla asked me to come as a friend."_

"_Yeah right, you want to take her back right?" Leo frowned._

"_I'm here as a friend. You're here as a father. As such, you need to step up and prepare, not squabble pettily with me. Your girlfriend is in there right now having an operation so that your child can be born safely, and when that child is born you best be in there with the biggest smile on your face that you can manage instead of in here sniping at me." Leo was out of breath at the end of this admonishment._

_The sound of clapping suddenly reverberated around the waiting room as all the prospective parents/grandparents clapped._

"_You tell him." One person muttered, and Leo blushed as he realised that pretty much everyone - even the nurses - were smiling at him._

"_You're right, I'm sorry." The boy looked weary, as if all life had been sucked out of him. "I'm just so scared for Layla, and I'm meant to be a dad and It's just so overwhelming..."_

_Leo smiled sympathetically. _

"_You will al be fine, you have a lot of people who care about you and are willing to help out." The boy shot Leo a grateful look. Then it all went to Hades._

_A doctor stepped out, and walked over to the group._

"_You are here for Layla Good, yes." The look on his face foretold bad news, Leo's fists clenched. One of the adult nodded, and the doctor's face melted into a mask of remorse._

"_I'm sorry, but there was a problem during the operation. We lost both the mother and the child." The entire group stared in horror, before they all started sobbing. Leo and the boy, the person who had stole his girlfriend, turned and wept together. They had both lost someone cherished, and in that moment, they were united by grief._

There wasn't a dry eye of screen either.

**Memory over**

"You lost both her and her unborn child." Piper couldn't see straight through the tears, but she saw that Leo was crying as well. She wanted this over. Leo was being caused so much pain, and yeah they had learnt a lot about him, but was it worth this much pain? She felt Jason shift to wrap his arms around their quaking friend.

"And Jack almost killed himself only a week after that." Leo snivelled, and Piper whimpered at the amount of pain that Leo had suffered. Why did the Fates hate him?

The demigods took quite a long time to console themselves after that memory, no words were spoken as it was best to just cry this one out. When the room was somewhat calm, the next memory began.

_Jazz and Leo were eating inside of a cheerful cafeteria. They were laughing and joking with a small crowd of people. _

"_And then Leo just sniped the man! It was awesome." Jazz was animatedly telling some sort of tale. One of the other boys smirked._

"_Well what were you doing in the game if Leo was sniping all of the enemies?" The teasing note to his voice did not go unheard, and Jazz's eyes glowed in challenge. But before he could reply, Leo butted in._

"_Jazz was flirting with the barmaid." Jazz burned cheery red as they all laughed._

"_No I wasn't!" He protested, but Leo was really into this now._

"_Oh Barmaid, our love is forbidden yet you drew me in with the elegant way you pour my mead. I should be outside helping my friend, but a moment away from you hurt's worse then a rifle shot, and as and adventurer, I've felt plenty of those." Leo made an overdramatic kissy face, and Jazz shoved him._

"_Better than you who flirted with everyone who could get you a bonus." Leo winked cheerfully._

"_Hey, it's not my fault that they all fell for the famous Valdez charm."_

"_The only charm you had on them was a love spell."_

"_Hey, I don't need a love spell to get a girl." The small group were now completely involved in this back and forth exchange. _

"_Really because that princess seemed uninterested until you used a little magic." Leo spluttered indignantly._

"_The princess was greatly indebted to me for saving her life while you drank with that bar wench." Jazz seemed offended._

"_My lady is not a wench." He declared. They glared at each other for a few minutes, and then they both started laughing hysterically. _

"You're such a nerd." Percy said fondly.

"At least I was a successful nerd." Everyone seemed a little more cheerful after that memory, though the topic of Layla still hung heavily over them like a shroud. Piper hoped that the next memory would erase that, Leo had suffered enough.

_Four year old Leo was dressed as the most adorable little werewolf ever, with a tail attached to the back of his pants and fake wolf ears nestled in his hair. He was clutching his mom's hand and a bag of sweets as he bounced in front of a decorated door._

_His mom rapped on it, and after a few seconds it opened._

"_Twick or treat" He shouted enthusiastically, stumbling over the words slightly but still revealing a big, toothy grin._

"_Aren't you just adorable!" The lady who had opened the door poured a ton of sweets into Leo's bag._

"_Gracias." He yelled merrily and his mom gave the lady a "what can you do look" as Leo tugged her down the path._

"AWW" All the girls began babbling about how cute Leo was.

"I wasn't that cute" Leo mumbled, looking awkward.

"Sorry little bro, but you were adorable." Percy ruffled Leo's hair, and Leo slapped his hand away, pouting. This only served to make their Leo look adorable, but Piper refrained from saying that.

"No entiendo vosotros (I don't understand you)" Leo grumbled. They all stared at him in confusion, though when he didn't elaborate they knew that he hadn't realised that he had spoken in Spanish and that they had no idea of what he had just said.

Piper's brow furrowed as she thought about how Leo must still be really distressed over the previous memory if he was speaking in Spanish without realising it.

"Scoot over, I want to sit next to Leo for a moment." Jason gave her an odd look, but complied with her request anyway, swapping places so that she was sitting next to Leo. She draped an arm over he friend casually. The radiant smile that Leo gave her was worth the effort of moving.

_A teenage Leo was mooching along the streets, a small girls hand wrapped in his and a boy who was slightly younger than Leo himself was linking Leo on the other side. All three children were filthy, and passers by gave them a pretty wide berth. All of the children ignored this, as if this was common treatment._

Piper was saddened as she realised that that probably was common for street children. She vowed to take more notice in the future.

_Eventually, they reached a small alley, and Leo shooed the younger kids into it._

"_Stay in here until I get back, okay." He waited until both had nodded at him, before hugging them tightly and darting into the busier streets. He walked in a way that made him seem almost invisible, years of practice coming into play._

_He drifted into a large Wal-Mart, making his way down the aisles with a calculating expression, though whenever a shopper drew near, the look changed to boredom making Leo look like a teen on an errand._

_As he mad his way down the food aisles, Leo's hands swiped numerous items, storing them in his oversized hoodie. _

_After he had gathered a fair bit, he snuck towards the clothes aisle. A few articles of clothing disappeared up the back of his hoodie, but then he swiped an item that made no sense. He grabbed a small bottle of perfume, and, instead of stacking it away, he held it in his palm._

_Stealthily,, he made his way to the exit. A trolley was just about to go through, and Leo sped up. With an impressive amount of stealth, Leo deposited the perfume in the trolley, and the alarm went of a good few seconds before Leo waltzed through. The security guard waved him along, and Leo made his way back to_"_ his friends in the alley way._

"You probably just got those people into a lot of trouble." Jason was clearly trying to sound neutral, Leo had been stealing for a good cause after all, but Leo still didn't sound happy.

"I don't need you gracing me with your words of wisdom, Jason." She knew that Leo was annoyed as he ignored the perfectly good pun opportunity. Piper was about to wade in, when someone she didn't expect spoke up in defence of Leo.

"Yes, stealing is wrong, but Leo did need to look after himself and those two kids. Although I wouldn't normally approve of stealing, those were special circumstances, and we should be a bit more lenient." Annabeth sounded as if she had had experience with what was needed to survive on the streets. It was still shocking to hear what she had just said though. Percy was gazing at her with a mix of love and surprise.

"Look at my Wise Girl advocating theft." He whistled. Annabeth looked annoyed and Leo stepped in this time.

"Look at Annabeth's Seaweed Brain knowing a word as big as advocating." Everyone laughed at Percy. Jason reached over her.

"I wasn't accusing you of anything, it's just hard to think that you had to resort to stealing things for any reason." Leo shrugged.

"It's fine, I'm just not exactly proud of those memories." Piper embraced him.

"I'm proud that you were willing to go against your morals for those two kids. You only stole clothes in their sizes." Leo looked at her weirdly.

"How could you tell that?" Piper shrugged.

"Aphrodite perk I guess. You all get cool powers and I can accurately measure your clothes size." Leo laughed. And then he face palmed.

"I missed a perfect joke opportunity didn't I?" He groaned.

* * *

So, please tell me if I should put the replies at the bottom of the story, I want you to be able to read the story easily. I'm sorry if this was short. I'll see you all next time and once again, thank you for all your support.


	21. Chapter 21

Due to popular demand, I will be keeping the replies at the top of the page (I'm sorry if any of you would have preferred them to be at the bottom). This chapter will have mentions of abuse, so as always here will be a warning. And I know that this may not be important, but I got both the Demigod diaries and the Demigod files and I am so excited to read them :) Thank you to anyone who faved or followed.

Bdog123 : I'm sorry, but loads of people prefer the replies at the top. I hope that it isn't too inconvenient :(

Kittehx1 : I ship Leo with pretty much anyone if the story is good but I'm more of a yaoi girl myself.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I know! She should give in to her Aphrodite side more often. And Leo would make an adorable werewolf. Also, thanks for your opinion on the reply placement.

Neon Wish : Thank you, and you're very welcome.

QueenofLothlorien : Thank you for both your compliments and your help with the reply thing. And I need somewhere to store all of my Leo feels as well.

RoseAmy13LunaGinny : Maybe I'll put that in for you.

Pacenya347 : Yes he did.

DamnYouPeopleWithCoolUserNames : I'll put that in this chapter for you.

ObsessedwReading : Thank you.

FracturedSanity419 : Thanks :) And I'll put the kids memory in chapter 23.

Catsrawesome : I'm glad that you enjoyed them, and Layla is still one of my least favourite OCs.

Iluvbooks : Thanks.

Septimus : You are very welcome on the no swearing thing (I don't swear much, I'm not even allowed to say crap or damn at home). And thank you for the idea but I'm not sure if I can make that work. I'll have to think about a way to put it in. I don't think that I can handle a rape scene, sorry, so that definitely won't be going in.

TooObsessedWithBooks : Maybe, but I still have a lot of stories planned for Leo.

Killua minamoto : I'm happy that you liked it.

MakaylaCO : More is on it's way.

Our Mismatched Socks : There will be more about the two children.

Cupcake Gal : Thank you for all of your reviews, and I'm not exactly sure how many memories I will be writing about. I do around four each chapter, and I have ten chapters left (including this one) so around forty I guess. But next chapter is going to be a little different so I'm not too certain.

Disclaimer : I wouldn't have to buy the books if I had created this.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V

Percy was saddened to think that Leo had to resort to stealing to feed himself and those two other children. Sure, he had never lived a cosy life, but at least he'd always had food and clothing. Leo had apparently spent half of his life without even a roof over his head.

The next memory didn't alleviate his sadness.

_Leo and the two kids were back on screen, except they were in a slightly different alley this time, and the two children were shivering. This memory seemed to be before the earlier one as their clothes were still threadbare._

"_I'm cold." The small girl wailed, and Leo hugged her tightly. _

"_Cassie, Diggory, you two stay here and snuggle up and I'll be back before you know it." The children nodded obediently, and Leo once again left. He walked along, occasionally picking up empty bin bags, newspapers, broken pieces of wood and string. After he had quite a large collection, he returned to the alley._

"_Okay, I'm going to make us some shelter." _

"What sort of shelter are you going to make from that?" Frank seemed to think that Leo had a few screws lose, but the scrawny mechanic gave them all a smug look.

"Just watch." Leo instructed as he worked on his paper. Percy was incredibly tempted to look at whatever Leo was drawing, but he averted his gaze to the television with an impressive display of will power.

_Leo's hands moved expertly, lashing the string together and rigging up a relatively impressive rubbish teepee. But, being Leo, he didn't stop there. By the time he was finished, the teepee was large enough for the three children. It's "walls" were made of the bin bags and inside the floor was made of newspaper. The distinctive shape was created by the wood. _

_Leo had also somehow created a small door that locked from the inside using a complicated string pattern, a window that could be rolled up to stare out of the alley and a ting table in the middle*. He grinned._

"You even made a lockable door!" Percy stared at the kid in disbelief. Not only had he made a shelter that was large enough for all three runaways, he had also made security for it. Leo shrugged modestly.

"I've made better." He said, in an offhand manner. Percy was constantly impressed with Leo's creativity, he had made a warship for Hades sake, but this really took the cake. And the most amazing thing was that Leo didn't even seem to recognise how awesome his skills were. Percy vowed to praise Leo's inventions more often., he didn't understand why the Latino had pretty much no self confidence.

The next memory began.

**Warning : Scenes of child abuse, but nothing too graphic.**

_Teresa stood over the trembling Leo, a look that bordered on insanity in her eyes._

The demigods all hissed.

"_You've done it now you little brat." She kicked Leo in the shoulder so that his terrified face was staring at the ceiling. She spewed some ugly profanities at the eleven year old, and he cringed._

"_You think that she can help you? Do you think that you were clever, telling the teacher that I hit you?" Leo shook his head wildly, but stopped when Teresa planted her high heel encased foot on his chest , digging the point in. A small droplet of blood welled up, and stained his shirt._

"_You will never see the light of day again!" She actually sounded quite unhinged at this point, and Leo squirmed in fright._

"_I didn't say anything. Please." He begged, but Teresa had frozen at the first part of the sentence._

"_So your a liar now as well." She leant over Leo, and slapped him._

"_Liars are punished in this house, their presence will not be tolerated." Her voice was detached from reality as she grabbed Leo's arms, nails marking his tanned flesh with crescents of red. She yanked him upwards and threw him into the wall. Leo hit it with a thud and slid. He attempted to curl into the foetal position, but Teresa raced forwards. _

_She kicked him in the chest repeatedly, heels occasionally slicing his skin. Leo whimpered and moaned, but then a sharp crack was heard, and he screeched in pain as hi ribs gave in under the pressure._

_Teresa laughed, a dark, twisted sound. She gripped Leo's collar and dragged into the hall. She strolled up the stairs leisurely, as if she wasn't dragging a sobbing child behind her._

_Leo was wheezing, and his face was contorted with the pain of numerous lacerations and broken ribs. It was a shock that he hadn't passed out. Teresa finally reached her destination, pulling open the door, she waltzed into her bedroom, still chuckling insanely. _

_She made her way over to a large wardrobe and opened it._

"_Bye Bye Leo, I hope the monsters don't get you in there. I heard that they like disgusting, wretched beasts such as yourself." The door closed and the sound of a key turning in a lock seemed to reactivate Leo._

"_No" He screamed, and he threw himself at the door, screaming again as his ribs hit the wood. He fainted. _

**Memory over.**

Percy almost threw up. Leo had suffered so much. If it wasn't Gaia then it was the Gods, if it wasn't the Gods then it was mortals. Why was everyone against the small Latino demigod?

"How did you get out?" Hazel asked, tears streaming down her face. Leo trembled almost imperceptibly. Piper and Percy both wrapped their arms around him. Their sadness turned to fear as they realised that Leo was gasping for breath.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelped, and his girlfriend instantly climbed over him to get to Leo.

"Leo, you are with the seven." She spoke simply, and Percy stared at his girlfriend in alarm as she tried to help their friend.

"You need to try and calm down." Annabeth was using small sentences. Leo made a visible effort to regulate his breathing, but the tremors that rocked his body were becoming intense, and small flames licked his body.

"You are with us Leo." Annabeth just kept talking to him in short sentences while the rest watched in terror. After an agonising amount of time in which Percy felt absolutely certain that Leo was either going to stop breathing or spontaneously combust, Leo finally began breathing normally. Annabeth practically fell onto Percy in relief. He noticed that his girlfriend was also shivering, she had been so calm when dealing with Leo that the fear must have only kicked in after some of the adrenaline ebbed.

"Sorry" Leo choked out, his voice raspy and painful sounding.

"What happened?" Jason sounded like he was about to throw up, and Percy quickly took stock of the seven's situation. Piper and Jason were clinging to each other as if they were tethering each other to the couch. Hazel's mouth was moving wordlessly, shock in her eyes. Frank had reverted into a cat and his ears were flat against his head and his pupils dilated in a sure sign of agitation. Annabeth was nestled on his lap, clutching his shirt tightly as she processed what had just happened. He could feel that his hands were clammy and his own breathing was rapid.

Leo was curled up, breathing still laboured and flames still leaping across his body.

"Panic attack." Leo croaked, his eyes squeezed shut.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I'm sorry. It hasn't happened in so long..." Leo was getting agitated again, and Percy shifted Annabeth slightly so that he could grasp Leo's hand. The boy latched onto his hands desperately, and Percy felt hatred for the entire world. Clearly everything had conspired against Leo.

"It's not your fault." He muttered soothingly, but this seemed to upset Leo more.

"It was just so dark and I couldn't breathe until they found me and I was all alone and the monsters were coming and I could hear her voice and they were all laughing at me." Leo's sentences all ran together and his breathing was becoming even more strained.

"You're safe Leo." Percy whispered, throat clogged by tears. Annabeth moved to place an arm around Leo, and when he didn't react negatively to the touch, Percy and Piper hugged him again.

"I was so scared." Leo whimpered, and Percy's heart clenched as Leo spoke with the voice of his child self.

"You don't have to be scared anymore." Jason joined the hug, Hazel and Frank joining afterwards. Leo looked down at Frank who was still in cat form.

"Do you want some milk, Frank?" He joked weakly.

"Do you know that a lot of cats are lactose intolerant?" Annabeth couldn't help blurting out the fact and they all cracked up a little. They decided to stay as they were to watch the next memory, and unspoken show of support. Because watching Leo gasp for breath had been a terrifying experience that they could all live without seeing again.

"_Cumpleanos feliz, cumpleanos feliz (Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you.)" A cheerful voice sang out. The screen showed Esperanza Valdez holding a tiny, baby Leo in her arms. The baby Leo was wearing a onesie that looked like a prison outfit saying "I've been inside for nine months"._

"That onesie is so cute, you were such an adorable little baby." Piper cooed, and some of the fear was removed from the atmosphere at seeing such an endearing image. Leo looked flustered, but his breathing had evened out.

_Banners that were strewn around the room proclaimed that Leo was one. His tiny pointy ears accentuated his pixie features, and his chocolate eyes sparkled. Even at such a young age, an unruly mop of black hair adorned his head._

"_I bet your father would love to see you." Esperanza kissed her son on the forehead, and he giggled._

They all melted at that carefree giggle. Suddenly, the screen cut to a different scene. The demigods were a little startled by how abrupt the change had been, but their attention stayed riveted on the screen anyway.

_A grizzled, disfigured man was shown, watching the loving mother and her son on a small television screen._

"_Happy birthday, my son." He spoke quietly._

"Hephaestus!" Leo looked shocked.

"Even if he did not appear to you in person, Valdez, my son cared for you greatly." Hera's voice held a touch of warmth, and Percy felt like the apocalypse had come early with Hera claiming Hephaestus as her son with warmth in her voice.

Leo looked a little choked, but as he wasn't literally choking, Percy decided not to comment. The next clip came up, drowning out Leo's tiny "thanks dad". Percy chose not to comment on that as well.

_A group of seven year olds sat in a classroom, a smiling teacher in front of them._

"_As we are breaking up for Easter today, we are going to watch a video." The entire class cheered, and Leo actually clapped. The teacher popped in a disk, and Charlie and the chocolate factory (the 2005 edition) sprang to life. _

_Leo seemed enthralled as he watched the chocolate paradise._

"_I want a golden ticket." The boy next to him nodded._

"_So do I." _

_Leo was completely caught up in the story, cheering when the naughty children got what was coming to them. When the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson and cutting of the film, Leo looked personally offended._

"_Before you leave, class, I have something to give you." The teacher made her way down the aisles, passing each child a wrapped present. _

"_Happy Easter miss." Leo said as the teacher passed him his gift._

_As the children were released into the playground to be collected by their parents, Leo carefully unwrapped his present. A bar of chocolate was revealed, and more importantly, when Leo turned it over, a golden ticket was revealed. _

"_I've got a golden ticket." Leo sang to himself, a huge grin on his face._

"That was really sweet of the teacher." Hazel commented as everyone moved back to their original positions on the couch. Leo pulled his notebook out again, and Percy managed to force this eyes away from whatever he was doing. He knew that Jason knew, but he also knew that Leo wanted to wait to tell them. He could accept that.

* * *

*This is actually possible, me and my friends built one in Guides :)

Also, Cassandra means she who is ignored and Diggory means lost one. Next chapter is going to be a little different, I know that some people are sick of song memories but I have a few songs that match Leo and a few have been suggested so next chapter will be all singing, all dancing and then there will be no more son memories. See you all next time.


	22. Chapter 22

This is probably going to be a pretty long chapter as I have a lot of songs to get through. Seriously, there will be a lot of memories as I have so many songs. And they will also be a mixture of happy and sad so be warned. One will contain mentions of homophobia, this is not my actual opinion, I have a lot of gay friends and I genuinely believe that sexuality doesn't matter as long as a person is happy. I will give the names of the artists at the end. Thank you to everyone who faved or followed and enjoy the chapter.

Pacenya347 : I kind of forgot about Hephaestus up till now as well and I'm glad that you are excited.

Our Mismatched Socks : JK Rowling is a qenious, and I can't give you spoilers for my own story :)

QueenofLothlorien : I will add the weak wrist in and though I wont use asthma specifically, I will also include breathing difficulties so thank you.

Bearah cubecars : I'm glad that you enjoyed it and I live for Leo as well.

Bdog123 : There won't be many more abuse memories (I can't guarantee that there won't be any more as they are generally quite popular, but if I do another it will be in a couple of chapters). I'm sorry if they upset you in anyway.

Neon Wish : Thank you.

Kittehx1 : Yep, lots of happy memories.

Catsrawesome : Thanks, and I'll use both songs (I love Perfect). And the I am going to end this story on chapter thirty (I even have the last memory planned out).

Hartemis : Leo's too nice to burn people even if they deserve it :) And I'm afraid that once the feels have made their lair, you can never get rid of them.

ColorsAndWords : Ah, sorry, I just assumed that America had tea time (please forgive me).

Septimus : Thank you for the song, and you'll find that all out next chapter. And I've just finished reading both the Files and the Diaries and I loved both!

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I'm sorry for making you cry, but thank you for the hug and for saying that my story is awesome :) And I hope that you have a good week as well.

Melancholy's Sunshine : I knew that I'd forgotten something there, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it anyway.

Awesomesauce90 : Thanks, and I hope that this is soon enough.

Cupcake Gal : I will be using two of your suggestions so thank you.

ObsessedwReading : Thanks :)

FracturedSanity419 : Teehee, I'm glad that you love it. And I'll use that idea in chapter 24 so thanks.

MakaylaCO : I love Leo as well.

69Philyra69 : *Makes the Physicians cure to revive you* I'm happy that you like it.

Bris38 : Thank you.

The Steaming Cactus : I'm going to be doing two sequels to this, a oneshot where Leo is reunited with James and another multi chapter fic which is a secret plot at the moment.

Willowleaf : Thanks.

Disclaimer : If anybody feels like giving me the rights to Percy Jackson and all these songs the go ahead.

* * *

Piper's P.O.V

Hera's voice startled them all.

"As this day is almost over, we are going to have a series of memories in which Leo reveals things through songs. As he denies all talent repeatedly, hopefully this will prove his talent in areas other then mechanics. After those memories are done, you will be provided with food and accommodation. The second day will begin once you all are rested." The demigods all shrugged, and Piper secretly prayed that these would be happy songs, the memory of Leo singing about wanting to die still hurting.

Leo looked a little embarrassed. Piper on the other hand, was excited to hear Leo's singing again, even if she was terrified that it would end badly.

_A fourteen year old Leo sat in a messy bedroom, soothingly rubbing the back of another sobbing teen. The other boy's head was buried in Leo's chest and his chest heaved with sobs. Leo looked distraught._

"_Andrew, don't listen to those idiots." _

"_They're right." Leo looked furious._

"_No they're not!"_

"_Yes they are! I am wrong, I'm disgusting. How could I like a boy?" Andrew sounded incredibly upset._

"_There is nothing wrong with being gay. So what if you like someone of the same gender. It's none of their business who you like. What matters is that you are happy with yourself." Leo ran a hand through the other boys hair._

"Love is love no matter who it's between." As the daughter of the goddess of love, Piper accepted it in all forms. She was relieved when the other demigods nodded in agreement.

"As Greeks, it would be pretty hypocritical of us to be homophobic anyway." Annabeth put in.

"_How can I be happy if everyone sees me as a freak?" Leo had a sad look in his eyes, a look that came with suffering numerous hardships throughout his life. He to had been labelled a freak many times in the past._

"_I don't think that you are a freak." Leo seemed to get an idea then. He untangled himself from Andrew and switched the CD player on. He skipped a few songs before he settled on one. _

"_Made a wrong turn once or twice. Dug my way out of blood and fire. Bad decisions, that's alright. Welcome to my silly life." Andrew watched as Leo shrugged and ,motioned along with the song._

"_Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood. There's no way it's all good, it didn't slow me down." He tugged Andrew up to dance with him._

"_Mistaken, always second guessing, underestimated. Look I'm still around." Andrew was smiling a little bit now, though the signs of his tears where still evident._

"_Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel like your less than, less than perfect. Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing, you are perfect to me." Leo pulled Andrew into the bathroom for the next part, leaving the door open so that they could still here the music, but positioning themselves so that they could see the mirror. Andrew seemed to shy away from his reflection, but Leo's grip on his arm kept him in place._

"_You're so mean, when you talk (when you talk was echoed by the CD) about yourself, you are wrong. Change the voices in your head (change the voices was also echoed by the CD) make them like you instead." Leo poked Andrew in the head in a teasing manner._

"_So complicated, look happy, you'll make it. Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game. It's enough, I've done all I can think of, chased down all my demons, I'll see you do the same." Leo's reflection gave Andrew a stern look through the mirror. He broke into the chorus, but this time his look was pleading. Once the chorus was out of the way, Leo moved onto the spoken part of the song._

"_The whole world's scared so I swallow the fear, the only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer. So cool in lying and we try, try, try but we try to hard, and it's just a waste of my time." Leo knocked some of the hair gel and body spray and things of the shelf with an exasperated look and a sweep of the arm._

"_Done lookin' for the critics cuz they're everywhere. They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair." Leo brushed of his jeans and playfully ruffled Andrew's hair._

"_Estrange ourselves, and we do it all the time. Why do we do that? Why do I do that? Why do I do that?" That last line was muttered, but reflection Leo was eerily staring right out of the screen, as if questioning the seven on his motives._

They all shifted uncomfortably. Piper knew that Leo often isolated himself as he appeared more at ease with machines then with people. But with the younger Leo seemingly questioning them with his eyes, Piper wondered if they could have helped Leo with that.

_The CD covered the next line whilst the two boy stared contemplatively into the mirror, asking themselves the questions that Leo had just sang. He recovered for the last verses._

"_Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel like you're less than, less than perfect. Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing, you are perfect to me. You're perfect, you're perfect!" Leo took a breath before plunging into the very last verse._

"_Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you're nothing, you are perfect to me." The boys were both smiling now, and Andrew put an arm around Leo._

"_You're perfect as well, even if you have ADHD and dyslexia."_

"You were so kind to him." Piper noticed that pretty much everyone had proud parent looks on their faces, and that Leo was squirming like a child whose parent had embarrassed them on parent/teacher night.

"People shouldn't be bullied just for being who they are." Everyone nodded, and Leo gave Piper a significant glance. She knew that he and Jason had wanted to step in when those stupid girls had taunted her for her Cherokee heritage, but she was grateful that they had supported her decision to let her defend herself.

Leo was still scribbling away, and Piper wondered at what he could possibly be doing that had kept him entertained this long. She also noticed that Leo winced slightly, and rolled his wrist as if it was paining him.

"Is there something wrong with your wrist Leo?" Her repair boy brother jumped, as if surprised to be caught, but he still tried to blow it of as nothing.

"Nah, my wrist is just a little sore from drawing so long." Leo realised his slip up, and covered his mouth. But Piper had learnt not to underestimate Leo's acting capabilities, and she was wary that Leo had let that little bit of information slip to provide a cover up to stop her asking more questions. Especially as he was rubbing his non-dominant hand_. _Unfortunately, Percy fell for the act.

"What are you drawing?" They all looked curious, except for Jason (who already knew what Leo was doing) and Piper (who was more concerned about what Leo was hiding about his wrist).

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Leo replied smugly, and the other's groaned at the typical Valdez answer. The next memory started before they could pester him for more details.

_Teen Leo was dancing in a loud night club with the gang that had gotten him drunk under the bridge. His clothes were the same, except that the mesh top was neon orange instead of neon green. He was clearly more then a little drunk._

_There was a karaoke machine in the corner, and one of the gang members dragged a protesting Leo over to it. The inebriated teen stopped protesting as he saw the song choice._

"_Ooh, let's do that one." Although the machine clearly said that only one person sang the first part, both boys sang enthusiastically._

"_Mr Worldwide to infinity, you know the roof on fire. We gon' boogie oogie oggi, jiggle, wiggle and dance like the roof on fire." The boys shimmied dramatically and even threw in jazz hands._

Snickers were heard from all directions, and Piper was pretty sure that if the couch hadn't been fireproof then Leo would have burnt through it in humiliation.

"This is why we don't drink." Annabeth grumbled, and they laughed harder at how much of a mother hen she was being.

"_We gon' drink drink and take shots until we fall out, like the roof on fire. Now baby give a booty naked, take off all your clothes, and light the roof on fire." Leo gave a suggestive wink._

Piper was certain that if Percy laughed any harder then he would choke and die.

"_Tell her, tell her baby, baby, baby, baby, I'm on fire. I tell her baby, baby, baby, baby, I'm a fireball. Fireball." This was accentuated by some questionable drunk dancing and followed by some jerky salsa type movements which involved lots of hip swaying and shimmying._

Piper stood corrected, Percy could laugh harder without choking.

"_I saw, I came, I conquered, or should I say, I saw, I conquered, I came. This little chico on fire and he no liar, while ya'll slippin' he's runnin' the game." He fanned himself when he sang "fire" and then he shook his finger in a way that could only be described as sassy as he sang "ain't no liar"._

"_Now big bang boogie, get that kitty little noogie, in a nice, nice little shade. I gave Suzie a little pat up on the booty, and she turned around and said, walk this way." Leo turned around and threw that last line over his shoulder._

"I can't believe how drunk you were!" Frank was wetting himself laughing. Leo looked ashamed, his head in his hands. Piper tried suppressing her own laughter and failed.

_Leo took over the next part himself._

"_I was born, in a flame. Mama said that everyone would know my name. I'm the best you've never had. If you think I'm burning out, I never am. I'm on fire, I'm on fire, I'm on fire, I'm on fire. Fireball."_

"Luckily not literally." Jason snorted, and Piper dissolved into more giggles at her usually stoic boyfriend's comment. There Leo was not as fortunate as the one on screen, as his nose currently was topped with tiny flames.

_The other boy joined in again on the next section._

"_Sticks and stones may break my bones, but I don't care what ya'll say. Cause as the world turns, ya'll boys gonna learn, that chico here don't play." Leo patted himself._

"_That boy's from the bottom, bottom of the map, M.I.A U.S.A._ _I gave Suzie a little pat up on the booty, and she turned around and said, walk this way." Leo then sang his part on his own again. Followed by the salsa-esque moves. They both came together again for the next part._

"_We're taking it, we're taking it, we're taking it down." This was repeated another seven times, and the boys shook their bodies as they slid to the floor, still clutching their mics._

"_Now we're bringing it, we're bringing it, we're bringing it back." This was also repeated seven times as the boys brought themselves back up _(in a way that reminded Piper of the cha cha slide).

"_Tell her, tell her baby, baby, baby, baby, I'm on fire. I tell her baby, baby, baby, baby, I'm a fireball." The boys ended in an incredibly cheesy position, back to back with their arms folded._

The demigods were in hysterics, and even Leo had stopped sulking and had joined in on the laughter.

"And that kids, is why Uncle Leo should not be allowed to drink."

The next song memory began as they laughed.

_Thirteen year old Leo was standing with two other boys at the front of another school hall. They were all dressed in simple black t-shirts, boots and jeans, except Leo who was in the middle of the trio who was also wearing a deep red hoodie._

"_You ready?" He shouted. The crowd of school children cheered._

"_Lets go." He nodded at the other two who stepped forward, one yelling "Yeah" as he strutted to stand directly behind Leo._

"_For those of you who want to know what we're all about, it's like this ya'll." All three joined in with the rap._

"_This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill. Fifteen percent concentrated power of will. Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain, and a hundred percent reason to remember the name." On power of will, Leo clenched his first and then he splayed five fingers for the five percent line. On the last part he pointed at the crowd, before sliding forwards so that it was clear that he was he main singer._

"God Leo, you're such a diva." Percy laughed and dodged the mints that Leo brought out of his belt to throw at him.

"_Mike- he doesn't need his name up in lights, he just wants to be heard whether it's the beat or the mic. He feels so unlike everybody else, alone, in spite of the fact that some people think that they know _him_. But no, he knows the code."_

"Is that how you felt while on the Argo?" Hazel asked tentatively. Leo deemed to not answer the question, and Piper felt an ache of sadness that Leo had ever questioned that he belonged with them.

"Remember that you're my little brother." Leo nodded, and they had to hope that they had gotten through to him as a new memory started.

_Five year old Leo was listening to his mom's CDs as she cooked. I will always love you was on, and Leo looked between the machine and his mother._

"_Mami." Esperanza turned round._

"_Yes mijo?" She questioned._

"_And I will always love you." Leo sang, holding the note. Esperanza smiled sweetly._

"_And I will always love you, mijo." She said._

"How in the name of Hades did you hold that note at the age of five?" Piper stared at Leo, who was rubbing his wrist again. He shrugged in reply, though before she could ask him about his wrist again, the next memory began, as if Hera was conspiring with Leo to keep the secret.

_Wilderness school Leo sat in a room that Piper recognised as the school's music studio. He was seated in front of the piano, gazing sadly at a small picture of Layla. He laid his hands on the piano keys._

"_In memory of you, Layla." He whispered before he began to play. The song was slower the it's professional counterpart, with a wistful edge._

"_Ever wonder bout what she's doing... how it all turned to lies. Sometimes I think that it's better, to never ask why."His gaze turned back to the picture and then returned to his hands._

"_Where there is desire there is gonna be a flame, and where there is a flame someone's bound to get burned. But just because it burns, doesn't mean your gonna die. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try."_

"That's actually a good motto." Frank whispered.

"_It's funny how the heart can be deceiving, more than just a couple times. Why do we fall in love so easy? Even when it's not right." A single tear slipped down Leo's cheek._

"Mother." Piper growled, her matchmaking had hurt a lot of people. Jason, Percy and Hazel also looked sad, they all understood how much love could hurt someone.

"_Cause where there is desire there is gonna be a flame, and where there is a flame someone's bound to get burned. And just because it burns doesn't mean your going to die. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try." Another tear escaped from the shimmering pools of Leo's eyes._

"_Ever worry that it might be ruined? And does it make you want to cry?"_

All of the couples sent their partner a surreptitious glance that confirmed that they had all felt like that.

"_When you're out there doin' what you're doing, are you just getting by? Tell me, are you just getting by?" Leo's voice intensified at this point._

"_Cause where there is desire there is gonna be a flame, and where there is a flame someone's bound to get burned. But just because it burns, doesn't mean you're gonna die. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try." His voice got quieter here._

"_Up and try, try, try. You gotta get up and try, try, try. Just because it burns, doesn't mean you're gonna die. You gotta get up and try, try, try." He wiped the tears of his cheeks, and then he hugged the picture to his chest._

"_I'm sorry that you were the one to get burned, Layla."_

"What did you mean by that?" Jason looked worried.

"It was not..." Piper cut in.

"So help me Leo Valdez, if you say that it was nothing I will confiscate your tool belt." They all stared at her, and she realised that maybe threatening the tool belt was a step too far, but it got the results she wanted.

"Everywhere I seem to go, someone suffers." They gaped at him in shock.

"Not everything is your fault Leo." Annabeth stated, but Leo simply looked defeated.

"Look, I know that you guys are trying to help, but it would be the world's biggest coincidence if all of the bad things that happened when I was around had nothing to do with me." Leo gave them a look of defiance.

"Seriously, you've had a lot of crap in your life, but that's not your fault." Percy seemed sympathetic, and Piper remembered Annabeth telling her that Percy had been blamed for lots of things, and blamed himself for even more.

"Most of it is."

"No it's not!" Piper refused to believe this was futile, that Leo couldn't be convinced.

"All of your life people have screwed with you, whether it be Gaia, Hera or mortals. And yet you still get up and try every time, you are still fighting to save the world. The only thing that you are responsible for is being a good person who gets messed around by others." Leo looked astounded at Piper's words of praise.

"I suppose I have been screwed with, and nice song reference Pipes!" Piper flushed as she realised that she had quoted the song that Leo had been singing. While Leo was being honest, she decided that she was finally going to bet the truth about his wrist.

"And now what's wrong with your wrist?" She demanded. Leo shifted, but he seemed to recognise that Piper's threat from earlier still stood.

"I broke it doing a stupid parkour stunt when I was younger and I sometimes get phantom pains from it, and it is a little weaker sometimes." Piper was relieved that there was no sinister motive behind Leo's actions. The next memory came up before they could discuss it any further.

_The memory seemed to continue on from the memory where Gaia tried to get Leo to join her._

_Leo got up, rubbing his tired eyes. He glanced at the clock hanging on his wall, and sighed._

"_Three hours, that's pretty decent." _

"Did you really just call three hours of sleep decent?" Annabeth sounded horrified.

"You've watched enough of my memories to know the answer to that. And I thought that you were meant to be the wise one." Annabeth visibly bristled with indignation, but the memory restarted before she could make a retort.

_He made his way to the engine room, virtually silently as he slipped past his companions bedrooms._

_When he reached the engine room where his friends couldn't hear him, he sighed. Buford trundled along after him, and he pulled out an Ipod from the walking table's drawer._

"_I owe you Pipes." He muttered as he pulled out a speaker, and plugged hi Ipod in._

"No you don't." She replied. Leo smiled.

"_This song is dedicated to the Dirt Queen herself, and anyone else who questions my loyalty to my friends and this quest." The opening bars played out as Leo tinkered with his engine._

"_Fall!" He yelled out, and then he dropped all pretence of working as he stood up._

"_Now the dark begins to rise, save your breath, it's far from over. Leave the lost and dead behind, now's your chance to run for cover." He clenched his fist on the first line before strutting forwards, throwing his arm outwards and unclenching his fist on the last line._

"_I don't want to change the world, I just want to leave it colder. Light the fuse and burn it up. Take the path that leads to nowhere." Sparks danced over his open palm on "light the fuse"._

"_All is lost again. But I'm not giving in." Leo threw both his arms down by his sides._

"_I will not bow, I will not break. I will shut the world away. I will not fall, I will not fade. I will take your breath away. Fall." Leo jumped up on the first line and then slammed his fist into the floor on the last word. He rose slowly during the instrumental._

"_Watch the end through dying eyes. Now the dark is taking over. Show me where forever dies, take the fall and run to heaven. All is lost again. But I'm not giving in." Leo repeated the chorus after this gesturing wildly._

"_And I'll survive, paranoid. I have lost the will to change. And I'm not proud, cold blooded fake. I will shut the world away." Leo paced aggressively during this instrumental, though a few dance moves where thrown in._

"_I will not bow, I will not break. I will shut the world away. I will not fall, I will not fade. I will take your breath away." Leo pointed angrily after this line, as if to tell Gaia that this was aimed directly at her for underestimating him._

"_And I'll survive, paranoid. I have lost the will to change. And I'm not proud, cold blooded fake. I will shut the world away. Fall!" As he yelled out "fall" he did a front flip, landed deliberately on his knees and punched both fists into the ground._

"You really are determined!" Percy whistled. Leo looked sheepish.

"I may have gone a little overboard there." Leo remarked, and Piper shook her head.

"It was a great performance considering the fact that it was staged in an engine room." Leo smiled.

"The world is my stage, Pipes." She groaned at his joke.

_Nine year old Leo sat in front of a headstone, alone. The grave was decorated with candy skulls, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Leo was celebrating El dia del muerte (the day of the dead. The boy was bravely attempting to smile._

"_And Tia Callida dropped this at your... at your funeral." He stumbled over the word "funeral"._

"I don't remember this, and I don't remember Hera being at my Mom's funeral!" Leo exclaimed.

"Yes, I made you forget as it could have given away who I was too soon." Hera spoke quietly. The demigods looked at the screen, eager to find out what exactly Hera had written that could have revealed such an important secret.

Leo's P.O.V

"_I once knew your father well. He fought tears as he spoke of your mother's health. I guess a part of him just couldn't return. Forgiveness is a lesson he cursed you to learn." He sang._

Leo's eyes widened as he thought of the meaning behind the words. His father had watched over them, and had been saddened at the news of his mother's death. As a God, he couldn't have returned and Leo just had to forgive that and move on.

"_As your guardian I was instructed well, to make sense of God's love in these fires of hell. No I don't expect you to understand, just to live what life your broken heart can."_

Hera had helped to raise him, even if Leo hadn't always appreciated it. And she had tried to explain that his fire was a gift from his father, the God of fire, because he cared about him and not as a curse. And she knew that Leo wouldn't understand till he was older, and that he would have to continue living, even though a part of him had shattered when his mother passed away.

"_Maybe your light is a seed, and the darkness the dirt. In spite of the uneven odds, beauty lifts from the earth, from the earth, from the earth."_

Leo could be a force for good, despite all he had suffered through, or maybe because all that he suffered had nurtured his will to fight. And even if Gaia was evil, there was still good on the earth.

"_As the years move on these questions take shape, are you getting stronger or is time shifting weight? No one expects you to understand, just to live what little life your mended heart can."_

Leo had always questioned whether he was strong enough to quell the fire within him.

"_You'll always remember the moment Gaia took her away for the weight of the world was placed on your shoulders that day."_

If Gaia hadn't came to the workshop that night, maybe Leo wouldn't have even found out about the prophecy. He wouldn't have known that he was destined to fight against Mother Earth herself.

"_Maybe your light is a seed, and the darkness the dirt. In spite of the uneven odds, beauty lifts from the earth, from the earth, from the earth." Leo shifted onto his heels to sing the last part of the song._

"_You're much too young now, so I write these words down. Darkness exists to make light truly count."_

Without the darkness in his life, Leo wouldn't be as strong as he was now. And he supposed that that counted for all of his friends as well. If they hadn't suffered then they probably wouldn't be capable of fighting today.

They all seemed to be mulling over those words, and they all were startled when the next memory began.

_Leo was once again huddled on the Argo, though he was slumped on the training room floor this time. Buford was there with the Ipod dock on his top again. Leo stood up and stretched, facing off against three training dummies. He started to train, elegantly flipping and shooting flames at his targets._

"_Training play list please Isaac?"_

Leo heard Percy snicker at his Ipod's name.

_Leo continued to train as the song started up. The he added his voice to the mix._

"_I never thought, I'd die alone, I laughed the loudest, who'd have known?"_

He saw the others look at each other worriedly, he did laugh the loudest and they clearly took that as a bad omen when sang with the first line.

"This is just a song I like, chill guys." Frank raised an eyebrow.

"I never thought I'd hear a fire wielder say chill." He said sarcastically.

"Well I never thought that I'd see a boy turn into a variety of household pets all in one day so..." Leo quipped back instantly. Frank shut up.

"_I traced the cord back to the wall. No wonder it was never plugged in at all." Leo started using his hammers to attack the dummies as well as his fire._

"_I took my time, I hurried up. The choice was mine, I didn't think enough. I'm too depressed to go on. You'll be sorry when I'm gone."_

Frank's P.O.V

Frank couldn't help but see these words as a warning, whether Leo had ever intended them as such or not. He had been the most hostile towards the scrawny Latino, and if Leo had died, he would have died not knowing that Frank was his friend. All though he didn't approve of all the pain that Leo had been put through, he also couldn't deny that he felt a little grateful for this opportunity to actually become friends with the younger boy.

As if the TV sensed that the song had done it's job, it switched to a new image.

_Gang Leo was back under the bridge, staring remorsefully at a picture of his child self, a basic phone next to him playing music._

"_One day it's here and then it's gone. How are you still holding on? How are you still holding on?" His voice held a mournful tone as it carried around the empty space._

"_You've felt this way for far too long. Waiting for a change to come. You know you're not the only one." He places the picture on the ground, staring out with dying eyes._

"_And life, passes you by. Don't be wasting your time. On your own." The last line held a trace of bitter irony. Then, suddenly the video changed to Leo in his Wilderness school bedroom, singing the next line._

"_You're always trying to see yourself, through the eyes of someone else. Through the eyes of someone else." The scene once again flipped to Leo slouched in Bunker Nine, crying softly._

"_Too shy to say that you need help. You and everybody else. You and everybody else." The next part was sang with a strange harmony of all three of these Leo's. All three of them held the picture._

"_Ohhhh. Life passes you by. Don't waste your time. On your own. Yeah, life passes you by. Don't be wasting your time. On your own." Then Leo on the Argo took over, also holding the picture._

"_As your heart gets bigger. And you're trying to figure out. What's it all about. An your skin gets thicker. As you try to figure out, what's it all about." All four Leo's were now shown on the screen._

"_Yeah life, passes you by. Don't waste your time. On your own." There was a short pause before they sang the last section._

"_One day it's here and then it's gone. How are you still holding on? How are you still holding on?"_

_Gang Leo still held the picture with the look of desolation in his eyes._

_Wilderness school Leo sat on the picture quickly as Jason and Piper walked in, and then the two profusely apologised for walking in without knocking, apologies that Leo waved off with a wry smile._

_Bunker Nine Leo wiped his tears away, and placed the picture in his tool belt as his siblings came in, ready for another day's work on the Argo. Leo greeted them with a small grin._

_And the final Leo smiled softly as he placed his picture on his night stand before bounding into the dining room to greet the other demigods, a full blown smile on his face._

"That was like an evolution of Leo!" Percy exclaimed, and Frank couldn't help rolling his eyes at the fact that Percy had seemingly missed the poignant point of the video."

"It was showing us how Leo started listening to the lyrics more and more as he got older, illustrated by the growth of Leo's smile." He pointed out, and then blushed darkly as everyone (even Annabeth!) stared at him in amazement.

"I never thought of that!" Annabeth looked dumbfounded, and Frank scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Well maybe I was just reading into it a little too deeply." He tried to divert their attention away from him by subtly contradicting his own theory.

"I think you're right." Leo chimed in quietly. Frank felt a delighted that he had solved one mystery of Leo Valdez by himself, and that Leo had validated it for him. It made him feel closer to the pyro elf.

_Leo was in Bunker Nine, rocking Harley gently._

"_It was really scary." The child hiccuped, and Leo responded by holding him tighter._

"_It's okay Harley, because Big Brother Leo isn't going to let any monsters get you. Okay?" The eight year old nodded and cuddled up to Leo who carried him over to one of the beds that remained in the Bunker._

"_And you really shouldn't stay here to sleep." Leo chided the boy gently._

"_You do all the time." Leo flushed._

"I can see the family resemblance in his smart mouth." Frank laughed, and Leo glared at him.

"_Well I'm not the best role model." Leo tucked himself and his sibling in when it became obvious that Harley wasn't letting go of him._

"_Could you sing me a lullaby." The boy whimpered, despite the fact that he already looked incredibly drowsy._

"_Vale (okay)." Leo made himself more comfortable, before ordering the Bunker to play an instrumental for him. Harley was asleep before the intro fade out, yet Leo sang to him softly anyway._

"_So long to all my friends, everyone of them met tragic ends. With every passing day, I'd be lying if I didn't say, that I miss them all tonight." Leo removed a lock of hair from Harley's forehead._

"_And if they only knew what I would say if I could be with you tonight, I would sing you to sleep. Never let them take the light behind your eyes. One day I'll lose this fight, as we fade in the dark, just remember you will always burn as bright." _

Frank thought back to how Leo had hugged James in their final night together, and he had to blink back tears at just how many people Leo had probably saw as a brother or sister, yet had to leave.

"_Be strong and hold my hand. Time becomes for us, you'll understand." Leo took Harley's tiny fist within his own hand._

"_We'll say goodbye today, and I'm sorry how it ends this way. If you promise not to cry. Then I'll tell you just what I would say if I could be with you tonight, I would sing you to sleep, never let them take the light behind your eyes. I'll fail and lose this fight, never fade in the dark. Just remember you will always burn as bright." Leo tenderly hugged his brother to his chest, enveloping the child in a warm cocoon._

"_The light behind your eyes. The light behind your... sometimes we must grow stronger and you can't be stronger in the dark. When I'm here, no longer, you must be stronger and if I could be with you tonight, I would sing you to sleep, never let them take the light behind your eyes. I failed and lost this fight, never fade in the dark. Just remember you will always burn as bright." Leo kissed his brother's forehead, again mirroring his childhood motion to James._

"_The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes." Leo slowly pulled himself away from his little brother and started doing some quiet work for the Argo._

"_The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes. The light behind your eyes." His voice got softer with every repetition._

"_The light behind your..." He trailed off._

Frank had Goosebumps due to how sweet yet haunting that performance had been.

"What fight have you failed Leo?" Annabeth gently probed.

"The fight to keep the light behind my eyes."

* * *

Well that was an incredibly long chapter, congratulations if you stuck it out. The songs are 1. Perfect by Pink 2. Fireball by Pitbull 3. Remember the name by Fort Minor 4. I will always love you by Whitney Houston 5. Try by Pink 6. I will not bow by Breaking Benjamin 7. Sleeping at last by Uneven odds 8. Adams song by Blink 182 9. One Day by Kodaline 10. The light behind your eyes by My Chemical Romance. I'm sorry if I got any lyrics wrong, and thank you to anyone who suggested a song.


	23. Chapter 23

And here is the next chapter :) And just a quick warning, this chapter will have death through a car accident, so if that is a difficult topic for you then please heed the warning in front of the memory. Thank you to everyone who faved or followed.

Iluvbooks : Thank you, and more is coming.

Melancholy's Sunshine : I never thought of that before! And I hope that this is soon enough.

ObsessedwReading : Thank you :)

Septimus : You're very welcome, and all will be revealed next chapter.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I'm glad that my story can connect with you emotionally (even if that mostly ends up with people crying). I'll put your idea in next chapter, though I'm not doing anymore song memories so I can't use that, sorry.

QueenofLothlorien : Yes it was! Thank you for all your lovely review, and you're welcome.

Catsrawesome : You are welcome, and it is always difficult having too many songs to listen to.

Kittehx1 : Thanks :)

Hartemis : Ah, anti-feels force fields will never be strong enough to defend against the feels.

Neon Wish : Thank you :)

Our Mismatched Socks : I don't know if he is in the books, but he is in this fic.

Bris38 : Is that a good "whoa" or a bad one?

Bdog123 : Thank you, and I could never go that far, I flinched when I wrote those memories and they weren't even that bad.

FracturedSanity419 : I'm happy that you like it, and I'll try to work that in for you next chapter though it will be difficult to pull off...

Guest : I'm going to do up to thirty chapters, and I'm sorry for taking so much time.

Killua minamoto : I'm sorry but it is too late to suggest a song, but thank you anyway.

DamnYouPeopleWithCoolUserNames : Do you mean the ones from Wreck It Ralph? And if so, do you mind if I put them in a game of the film instead of having the actual film?

Cupcake Gal : Thank you! I wanted each song to symbolise an important memory, and as I listened to Sleeping at last, the thought just came to me to change it to Gaia. And you are welcome, it is nice to have songs that fit my characters suggested to me.

Siddalee M : Thanks, and I love that idea, I'll be using it this chapter.

Willowleaf : Very long... Thank you for saying that it was beautiful. And I would definitely have broken if I had suffered even half as much as Leo.

Guest : I'm sorry for the wait :(

Mondmaedchen : Thanks, I appreciate it.

Bullkitty51 : Thank you so much! I'm honoured that this is your favourite story.

LadybugGirl7068 : Thanks, and there's no way in Hades that I could leave this story without ending it. I have said that I will end at thirty and I will. Goodnight/Good morning to you as well.

MakaylaCO : Thank you, but it isn't one of the best. There are so many brilliant fics out there.

Disclaimer : *Muffled sobbing* Not mine.

* * *

Jason's P.O.V

They all gathered back on the couch in their original positions, refreshed and prepared (mostly) to watch more of Leo's memories. Jason hoped that maybe Hera would ease them back into the process with some good memories.

_Piper and Leo were sitting opposite each other in Piper's room at the Wilderness school. They were looking at each other in a nervous way._

"This is before Jason..." Leo looked incredibly pale, and so did Jason's girlfriend.

_The two leaned in closer, before they both halted awkwardly._

"_Are you sure?" Leo was practically glowing with embarrassment. _

"_I want my first kiss to go to someone I care about. And you're my best friend so..." Leo seemed to feel a bit more confidence with this statement. He leaned forward, and his lips collided gently with the Cherokee girl's._

Jason felt an icy torrent of rage and betrayal sting deep in his chest. His friend hadn't told him about this, and neither had his girlfriend. He turned to the scrawny Latino who was cowering next to him. His restraint broke.

"Look Jason it was..." Leo was cut off when Jason sucker punched him in the face. Leo's head snapped back in a way that would have been alarming if Jason hadn't been so out of it. He was usually a pretty calm guy, but he could only take so many lies and so much deception.

"I trusted you both." He ground out, and Piper flinched while Leo held his hand up to his already swelling eye in pained disbelief.

"I trusted you Leo, and you never told me even half of your past. You never told me that you and Piper kissed." With those words, Jason turned and swept from the room, through the door that Hera had forgotten to dispel.

Jason mooched around the building for a few minutes, before he realised what an idiot he was being. They had to get this over with to continue the quest, and he knew that Leo hadn't been comfortable with telling him all of his past for many reasons, and a lack of trust wasn't one of them. Jason felt nauseous as the guilt him full force. He had hurt his friend, and he had been to filled with rage of this perceived betrayal that he hadn't even bothered to check on what damage he had done.

The distraught son of Jupiter span on his heel and sprinted back to the viewing room. He silently prayed that the damage done to his and Leo's relationship wasn't irreversible.

Jason practically toppled through the door in his haste to apologise. The sight that greeted him wasn't exactly positive. Leo was nibbling a small piece of ambrosia, though his posture had adjusted so that he was virtually drawn into himself. Jason's heart clenched, and he felt like punching himself for doing this to the bubbly Latino who had suffered enough.

The rest of his friends turned in sync to glower at Jason, and he winced at the death glares that he was receiving. Now that he was thinking clearly, it was obvious that Piper and Leo's kiss had been purely platonic, and that he as a possessive idiot had read into it wrong.

"Leo kissed me because I wanted my first kiss to go to someone I trusted. Not because we felt that way about each other. And we didn't tell you because I was scared that you would see Leo as a threat and turn against him. I love you both, but Leo is my brother and you're my boyfriend." Piper was also seething at him, he could tell, and his regret increased exponentially. Leo's eyes drifted to his, and where Jason expected to see anger, only guilt was visible.

"I'm sorry Jason." Leo's voice was unsteady, and it felt as if someone had shoved a knife into Jason. Leo was apologising to HIM, when he had been the one to resort to violence over something so stupid. Jason had cried a lot during this incident, but now he cried for what he had done to his friend, and that life had beaten Leo down so much that he blamed himself for virtually everything. Everyone else looked a little uncomfortable, sure they had all witnessed Jason crying over other memories, but this time Jason felt as if he had been left raw and open.

"No. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Leo." Jason came round to kneel in front of his friend, and placed his hand underneath the eye he had punched which had been healed by ambrosia.

"I overreacted. And that's no excuse. I should never, never have hit you. And you shouldn't be the one to say sorry for my wrongdoing." Leo looked as if he was going to contradict Jason, so Jason put his hand against Leo's mouth gently, not enough to stifle air flow but enough to shock Leo into not replying.

"Don't blame yourself for everything, Leo. I'm sorry." Leo rolled his eyes, and licked Jason's hand, and he released Leo's face in surprise.

"It's fine, Superman. Not the first time someone's belted me for something stupid." Jason hoped that Leo was joking, but considering what they had seen so far, Jason doubted it. He sat back down on the couch, wrapping one arm around Leo and apologetically kissing Piper's neck. He knew that they had all forgiven him when they all sat back and relaxed to watch the television.

_Leo was huddled in the dark closet, his breathing ragged and his eyes filled with fear._

Leo's breath hitched, and Jason's arm tightened.

"_Please me ayuda mami (help me)." Although Leo was clearly terrified, he wasn't crying._

Leo's breath was becoming laboured again, and all of the demigods watched both the screen and Leo with fear.

"It's okay Leo. It's okay." Jason repeated the phrase over and over again, hoping to ground the panicking boy.

_Suddenly, light filtered in to the claustrophobic closet, and two policeman were revealed. Their eyes were filled with horror as they observed the trembling, clearly injured child._

"_She really did lock the kid up for three days!" One breathed out in disbelief. The other appeared too stunned for words, he just lifted Leo out gently, wincing at the animalistic keening noise made by Leo as his ribs were jostled._

"Three days..." Hazel was holding Frank's arm as Jason tried to help Leo steady his breathing. Eventually, Leo calmed down again, though his breathing still skipped a beat every now and again.

"Sor..."

"So help me, if you are about to apologise to us again then I'll scream." Percy warned, and Leo promptly shut his mouth.

"Good." Percy said, and Leo scowled at him.

"I'm not a pet, that's Frank's job and I'm not cruel enough to take that away from him."

"Hey!" Frank spluttered, as the others laughed.

"You okay?" Jason quietly questioned. Leo gave him a dark look.

"I'm fine." Jason knew that that was another lie, but he quelled the irritation that reared it's head like a stubborn monster. He wouldn't snap again. He would find out what was wrong with Leo, but he wouldn't coerce his friend. The next memory began.

_Ten year old Leo was practising free running techniques with a group of street kids in an abandoned construction site. _

"Construction sites are not for playing on!" Annabeth was given a very droll glance from Leo.

"And a climbing wall with lava is?" That seemed to put Annabeth in her place.

_He showed clear skill/talent even if he needed more practise. One boy, about two years Leo's senior, was watching enviously from the side._

_As Leo pulled off more and more daring stunts, and the older boys looked on in admiration and pride, the jealous boy crept closer and closer. He slipped around to the other side of the wall that Leo was currently scaling, and waited, hanging on to the ridge at the top, and placing his foot on a particularly weak brick._

_When Leo put his hand on this brick, the older teen shoved his leg into it, dislodging the brick, and as a consequence, causing Leo to tumble. As Leo scrambled for a hold, he got a clear look at the teen who had kicked the brick._

Jason noticed that Leo was adding this boy and some of the other gang members to his ever growing picture.

"Why are you drawing him?" He growled lowly, and Leo gave him an amused look.

"We became friends later on." Jason simply shook his head at his friends capacity to forgive and forget past transgressions.

_The inevitable came to pass as more bricks crumbled from Leo's frantic wiggling. Some of the other teens were racing towards him, but they wouldn't make it in time. The member who had kicked the brick was standing to one side, abject horror clearly displayed on his face as Leo tumbled, and half of the wall came down on top of him._

_A large piece of rubble landed on Leo's wrist, and it broke with a loud crunch. Leo bit through his lip in an effort to not scream out, and a small trickle of blood made it's way down his chin._

_The teen who was responsible for the accident seemed to come out of his daze as he ran over and began un-burying the smaller boy._

"_I didn't think, I didn't think the entire wall would come down." Leo grinned up at him as the rest of his (relatively unscathed) body was revealed._

"_What happened?" One of the elders yelled out as they drew close enough. The teen leaning over Leo looked as if he was awaiting a death sentence._

"_I think I put my weight on a rotten brick, brought the whole wall down." The quilt ridden teen looked in pathetic gratitude at Leo._

"_I'm sorry."_

"_It's okay."_

Jason felt uncomfortable as he witnessed Leo easily forgive another undeserving person. Jason's respect for Leo soared to new heights as he witnessed a boy who had been beaten, betrayed and broken, forgive with a child like kindness.. A child like innocence still radiated from Leo, and Jason vowed to protect that till his dying breath.

Meanwhile, Piper was giving Leo the evil eye.

"You said that you just broke your wrist doing some parkour."

"Not technically a lie." Leo wheedled. Piper remained stony faced.

"A lie by omission is still a lie."

"All right, I'm so..." Multiple shouts of "Leo" prevented the son of Hephaestus from giving them another apology.

"Just don't do it again." Leo nodded, and snuggled ever so slightly closer to Jason who responded by squeezing his friend tenderly. The next memory started up.

**Warning : Car accident.**

_Leo was waiting impatiently on one side of the sidewalk, with Cassie and Diggory on the other. He was tapping his foot, his arms were folded and his eyes were anxiously trained on the small children who were holding hands._

_The light changed, and the two skipped towards Leo. hey didn't notice the speeding car until it was too late._

_For one moment, everything was suspended, as Leo stared at the middle of the street. Then he was racing out as screams rang out from passers by and the screech of tires as the car continued speeding away._

"_No." Leo fell beside the two, who were still clutching hands. Diggory's eyes were empty as blood leaked from his body._

_Cassie's eyes were sparkling slightly, a crystalline tear rolling from one eye as her blood joined Diggory's. She was staring up at Leo, but she could also see some of the screaming adults._

"_They're all looking at us, Leo. We finally exist to them." She choked slightly, and blood burbled over her lips._

"_Shush little Cassie. Just listen to me okay? It's going to be okay." Leo's cheeks were wet with tears, and Cassie's blood covered hand reached up to cup his cheek. _

"_Why are you crying, Leo? We're all here together an they've finally noticed us. We are real." More blood dripped down the child's lips, and her eyes started closing, the light in them dimming as her life force dimmed._

"_Please don't got to sleep, Cassie." Leo begged._

"_But you've made us all warm like you always do." Even though Leo tried to prevent the child from moving, she still managed to turn around and hug Diggory to her so that they were lying in a heart shape with their bloody hands clasped between them._

"_You always keep us warm and safe. Night, night brother." The girl's eyes slipped close, and Leo wailed. The blood that was pooling around them made a shape that was almost like angel's wings. Leo knelt between the two, holding the hand that wasn't clasped by the other body._

_A few days later_

"_And you say that you know what type of car it was?" A policeman gave Leo a speculative glance._

"_It was a blue For Focus, license plate 7092 8TP." Leo's voice was steely, and the officer shivered._

"_You are going to get that pathetic waste of space, and when you do he will go behind bars." Leo's voice was deadly._

"Oh Gods." Jason's voice rang across the silent room. Leo's already waning breathing seemed to give out.

* * *

Sorry for the cliff hanger and if I got any car/license plate number info wrong, I can't drive :( Anyway, I'll see you next time.


	24. Chapter 24

Hello again everybody :) This chapter will have mentions of self harm again, so please look out for that warning. Thanks for all of the faves and follows. And 400 reviews! I love you all, I never thought that this story would be so popular. Also, I'm not to sure how the whole flashback thing with Hazel and Leo worked so I decided to manipulate the idea a little bit.

Pacenya347 : Poor Leo having another panic attack.

DamnYouPeopleWithCoolUserNames : 1. It will be in this chapter then. 2. No sorry and 3. Thanks.

QueenofLothlorien : Thank you, and I'll try to put that in next chapter. Now that I think about it, that does remind me of Goodnight Mr Tom...

Kittehx1 : At least she died feeling safe and happy.

Our Mismatched Socks : Yes you were :)

Siddalee M : Thank you, and your idea was awesome so I was happy to write it in.

Cupcake Gal : I feel bad for Leo, I'm so mean to him. I'm glad that you enjoyed it though.

Ybbilicious : I feel bad for making you all cry, but I'm happy that you love it.

Neon Wish : Thank you :)

LadybugGirl7068 : Even if it was a coinky dink, I'm glad that my story made your day better.

Melancholy's Sunshine : I won't tell him if you don't tell the demigods what I've written ;) And maybe the emotion was all bubbling up for this chapter? Muahahahahaha.

Catsrawesome : I'm happy that you liked them all, even the sad one.

Hartemis : I hope that you survived :) Though as I'm not a daughter of Hephaestus, I probably couldn't handle a car.

Bdog123 : I have only written three scenes of abuse and two child/teen deaths. All of those were requests. And I don't personally believe that the scenes are graphic and I definitely don't have a fetish for something as sick as that. I don't have any fetishes.

ObsessedwReading : Thanks, and the feels are so strong when I think about Leo.

Septimus : I feel sorry for all three of them as well.

Iluvbooks : Leo is one of my faves (Grover is the other). And I hope that this is soon enough.

Killua minamoto : Thanks, and I'm sorry bur I don't really ship Liper so I probably won't do that.

Mondmaedchen : Thank you, it is so nice when I'm told that my story is someone's favourite :)

FracturedSanity419 : You're very welcome, and thanks for the virtual doughnuts. And I'll put that in next chapter for you.

Disclaimer : Please don't make me repeat it again! (I also don't own Dr Seuss).

* * *

Hazel's P.O.V

Leo's arms flailed as he desperately tried to suck in some oxygen. Annabeth was back in front of him, attempting to calm him down, but this attack seemed so much worse then the last one. Leo's eyes were glazed, distant, and Hazel had no doubt that he was experiencing some sort of flashback. She thought of her own visions, and wondered if there was anyway for her to help Leo through this. Maybe... she had managed to show Leo one of her memory flashbacks, maybe she could join him in his.

Hazel padded over to Leo cautiously, and placed her hand on his cheek, oblivious to the slight waves of confusion from Annabeth who was still trying to frantically help Leo.

_Hazel was sitting in the cupboard alongside the sobbing eleven year old Leo and the equally terrified modern version of her friend. Both were curled up in terror ,and though they existed in two different realities, their grief seemed to cycle between the two._

_Her Leo looked up at her appearance. The fear mixed with pain in his eyes hurt Hazel more than any monster could._

"_The monster is coming." Both Leo's whimpered this in unison, burying their heads in their knees._

"_You better leave while you can." Hazel was about to ask what monster was coming, when she heard banging on the door of the closet. The Leo's both cringed. _

"_Leave me alone!" The younger Leo howled. Hazel shifted (hard to do in such a small, enclosed space) so that she was between the Leo's and was facing the door. It rattled with the force of each blow, and Hazel drew in a deep breath, before unsheathing her sword and pointing it towards the door. _

_As they weren't actually in the memory, Hazel was pretty certain that her blade would do no damage to the monster, but unsheathing her blade made her feel braver, and in this claustrophobic closet with the terrified Leo's, Hazel needed all the courage that she could get. Then she realised something. In the memory, Leo had been rescued by two policemen. So what was going on here? _

_The door cracked with a boom that caused Hazel to flinch along with the two Latinos. Her Leo gripped her free hand and she gave it a reassuring squeeze, glad that Leo was holding it tightly enough to mask the trembles of fear that spiked through it. The other Leo actually seemed to be getting younger, shrinking before Hazel's astonished eyes._

_Light flooded into the dark space, and Hazel felt her eyes adjust rapidly (a perk of being a daughter of Pluto and spending a lot of time underground). The sight that welcomed her was simultaneously confusing and horrifying._

_Leo stood in front of the newly opened door, staring back at her and the other two. But this Leo was different. His clothes were torn and cindered, and his hair hung over his face, obscuring his eyes. Twin trails of grease and dirt stained his cheeks, starting at his eyes and ending just above his chin. They looked suspiciously like tear tracks._

_Hazel lowered her sword so that the point was no longer facing the opening but it remained in her hand, as a demigod it never hurt to be careful. She wasn't exactly sure what was going, and her confusion grew as the Leo's either side of her screamed._

_A dark smirk appeared on the standing Leo's face. And then he looked up. Hazel felt the air forcefully expelled from her lungs with a combination of shock and pure, undiluted fear. Leo's eyes were completely black. Ghostly fingers danced along her back as the Leo stepped forward in a jerky movement, a broken machine like motion. She scrambled back, dragging her Leo as far as they could go back into the wardrobe. Little Leo remained paralysed in fear, he was about nine now, and although Hazel loathed to abandon her Leo, she couldn't leave his child self to the mercy of the creepy figure._

_She let go of his hand, and lunged forward to try and grab the little boy. A roasting hot hand clamped over her wrist, and Hazel felt herself being wrenched out of the wardrobe. Both Leo's who had been sitting with her reached out to try and help her, but she still ended up tumbling out of the closet and ended up standing face to face with the third Leo, his eyes like black holes stealing her attention and all of the breath from her body._

"_Leave her alone!" Surprisingly, it was child Leo who yelped this out as he and his older counterpart crept out of the closet. _

"_Why?" The voice was colder than death, a strange contradiction to the burning palm wrapped around her wrist. _

"_Because you'll hurt her!" Her Leo exclaimed, and the boy holding her tipped his head to one side. As Hazel stared, something flared up within his eyes, and his hair was tinted red. Tiny flames danced, lighting up the dark that had previously been his eyes._

"_She hurt you. They all did." Hazel's eyes widened at this comment, especially as the tone of voice remained frigid, despite the flames nestled in his eyes._

"_It doesn't matter." Her Leo's voice quivered, and Hazel twisted her neck into an awkward position so that she could see his face. Little Leo was now eight, and he was nibbling on his fingers nervously_

"_I wasn't going to hurt her anyway." The flame eyed boy announced in the exact same tone. His voice hadn't altered at all since his appearance in this bizarre scenario. _

"_Of course you didn't." Modern Leo snarled. she turned her head back to the Leo who was holding her captive and noticed with a spike of concern that the flames had dimmed and that the Leo looked... saddened, as if the accusation had hurt him. He released her unexpectedly, and her knees hit the floor with a dull thud. _

"_You hurt everyone." Modern Leo helped her to her feet, though he was rougher then he usually would have been._

"_You killed my mami." The child version wailed. A trace of anger was visible on the flame Leo's face._

"_She was my mother as well." The three Leo's seemed to be locked in a weird showdown, and Hazel took the silence as an opportunity to ask a question that had been plaguing her for a while._

"_What did you mean by she hurt you?" All three pairs of eyes wheeled towards her._

"_It doesn't matter." Her Leo insisted, before turning back to glower at the dark Leo._

"_Protecting her from the truth will do you no good." Modern Leo leapt at him, aiming a fist at his mirror image. The other boy simply side stepped, and the eight year old Leo walked forward and gripped her hand tightly. His grip was also warm, but this was more comforting then when the flame eyed Leo had been holding her. _

"_I'll show you out." He mumbled, and tried to tug her forwards, but she remained firmly rooted to the spot._

"_Shouldn't we stop them?" She cried out in alarm as the Leos brawled._

"_They have been fighting for years, stopping them now won't count for anything in the long run." The little Leo again tugged on her arm, but she refused to budge an inch._

"_Not until I get some answers." She stubbornly let go of the youngest Leo and waded into the fight._

"_DON'T" The child yelled, but she ignored him. The two older Leo's stopped fighting as Hazel drew closer. They released each other and stood up, still glaring daggers at one another._

"_What is going on here?" The two Leo's shifted, and in that moment they went from being teenagers who had just fought each other viciously, to acting more like the eight year old Leo. _

"_An eternal, internal struggle." Flame Leo replied._

"_One that I will win." Her Leo shoved the other boy, but he didn't respond to the provocation Instead, he stared at Hazel with those chillingly lost eyes._

"_If you want to know what I meant, ask Hera to play the Argo knife memory." Modern Leo roared in frustration, but the other Leo just muttered "I'm sorry" before dissolving into flame._

"_You really have to go." Child Leo seemed even more anxious, and Hazel noticed in dismay that shackles had formed on his wrists. He turned and climbed back into the shadowy door confinement of the closet. The door swung shut behind him (somehow fixed from the earlier transgression)*. Before Hazel could lift her hand to reopen the door, her Leo clasped her hand and the image around her faded to black._

Hazel woke up sputtering, and staring directly into the fearful eyes of the real Leo Valdez.

"Di immortales! Warn a boy before you do something like that again." Percy sounded incredibly concerned as Hazel backed away from the scrawny Latino.

"What in the name of my father was that?" She had no idea what had just happened, sure she had shown Leo some of her past through a flashback, but that was more like going into Leo's head.

"You met fire, and child me." He ran a hand through his ear while the rest of the demigods flipped.

"Then why were you and fire fighting? And what happened with child you?" Leo frowned at her.

"Just leave it." Hazel knew that Leo wasn't going to tell her anything, but she could at least get answers for one of her questions.

"Lady Hera, may I request the knife Argo incident." Leo's eyes turned panicked as the screen flickered on.

"Why couldn't you just let it go?" He hissed at Hazel. She was shocked, Leo had never used such a tone with her.

**Warning: Mention of self harm.**

_Leo was walking down the main corridor of the Argo, hips swaying jauntily. He door to the dining room was propped open slightly, and he peeked inside merrily. Annabeth, Frank, Percy and hazel sat inside, apparently too caught up in their discussion to notice the tanned boys presence._

"_He never takes anything seriously!" Annabeth accentuated this point with an exasperated hand gesture. The smile slipped off Leo's face._

"_I understand being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Leo always seems to be causing some sort of trouble." Percy wrapped an arm around his girlfriends waist as she leaned into him._

"_I don't feel very comfortable around his fire. And he always makes me the butt of his jokes, and he flirts with my girlfriend. How would he like it if I made fun of him for the way he always bursts into flames, or that he's stick skinny and short?" Frank seemed to be full of ire, unusual for the generally sweet boy. Hazel also looked upset._

"_I understand that he isn't Sammy, but it still sort of hurts sometimes to look at him, the doppelgänger of Sammy and have him be... Leo instead." Leo's grip on he door tightened at this. His eyes darkened, and he slipped away from the room. _

_He wandered into his lair aka the engine room, hands shifting inside of his tool belt. He sits down in the darkest corner of the room._

"_Never takes anything seriously. Not like I worked my butt off to get this ship finished in time." His fingers seemed to grasp an object within the tool belt, but he didn't remove his hand._

"_Always causing trouble, not like I'm constantly patching this ship up." He snorted sardonically. _

"_And of course, I love my fire soooo much. And the fact that I'm skinny and short has nothing to do with the days and weeks that I've gone hungry in the past." He pulled out the object and twirled so fast that only a glimpse of silver was visible._

"_And of course I could never measure up to Sammy. Perfect Sammy. I'm just the cheap, Microsoft rip off." His hands stopped moving to reveal a perfect blade of plain silver._

_He laid the blade down before stripping of his belt and pants. _

"_Cuts on the inner thigh are harder to discover. Not that they would care, they would only care that I was endangering the quest with my reckless behaviour." His words were absent-minded, though there was a resentful edge to them._

_The knife flew across his skin, a crimson line symbolising its descent. he marked himself four times, before grabbing a fairly clean rag from the nearby worktable and wrapping at around the wound to temporarily stem the flow._

"_Soy un idiota (I am an idiot). Of course they wouldn't like me."_

**Memory over**

Fire Leo's words taunted her. She had hurt Leo. She had hurt him so badly that he had... that he had taken a knife to his own flesh to escape the pain of her words. She knew that she wasn't the only one at fault, four lines for four perpetrators, but there should have been no lines. No blood should have been spilled because of their careless words.

"I'm sorry." All four of the guilty parties choked out. Annabeth looked more ashamed of herself then Hazel thought was possible, Percy was impersonating a fish as he was clearly still shocked by his own involvement in the incident, Frank looked to be on the cusp of tears, and she knew that she was crying again. She seemed to be constantly crying for Leo.

"I know that you do take things seriously."

"And that you solve so many more problems then you've ever caused."

"And that your fire can be a tool for saving people."

"And that you are you, and that will never be a bad thing. Sammy was my friend. You **are **my friend. No, your my **brother**." She enveloped him in her arms.

"Please never do that again." Leo nodded stiffly.

"You guys have convinced me not to do anything like that again. Don't worry."

"And if we had found out, we would have lectured you so long that Gaia could have risen and we wouldn't have noticed, quest be damned. We care about you." The words were more powerful when spoken by Annabeth , who had just condemned authority for the scrawny boy again.

"Scrawny is the new sizzling hot, remember?" Leo stared at Hazel as if she were crazy for a few seconds, and then he caught on. They both burst out laughing, and the others gave them a look that questioned their sanity. After all, the mood had just done a complete 180.

"Looking back on it, that was kind of fun." Leo giggled. Hazel nodded.

"What are you two talking about?" Frank gazed at them imploringly.

"When we went to get materials to repair the ship, the celestial bronze was being used as a mirror by Narcissus. He had a gang of followers, and I happened to convince them that Leo Valdez is way hotter than Narcissus. With a little help from a friend." He winked at Hazel, and she tried in vain to remember Echo's face. She saw the matching struggle on Leo's face. Then, he seemed to get an idea as his eyes lit up and he started scribbling away again happily.

As if it recognised the improved mood, the television started up again.

_Four year old Leo was cuddled up in his mom's lap. She was holding a book in her hands, and Leo was enthralled, staring at the pictures with a look of innocent, childish wonder._

"_Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to great places. You're off and away." Esperanza made a soaring motion with her arm, and Leo giggled sweetly._

"_You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And YOU are the guy to decide where to go." She tapped his head and then tugged his foot playfully. Leo squealed in joy._

"_You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, I don't choose to go there. With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street."_

"I think that she overestimated me there." Leo was clearly thinking about the gang memories.

"You made some wrong turns, but now you're here with us." Leo smiled at Piper in thanks.

Hazel relished the warm feeling that blanketed them all. And she was beginning to think that she knew what Leo was drawing. He was drawing all the good people from his past.

The next video flicked on, Hazel assumed that the last video had been to dispel any lingering tension.

_Thirteen year old Leo was playing a game with an intense focus. Another boy walked in, took one look at the game that Leo was playing, and burst into hysterics. Leo ignored the other boy (who appeared to be around fifteen) for a few seconds as he completed whatever he was doing, and then he turned and gave him a death glare._

"_Are you seriously playing Bella's Wreck It Ralph Sugar Rush Racers game?" Leo gave him a superior look, and the camera adjusted so that the game was visible._

"_Yes I am, Byron, and I am winning." He stated smugly as all the Sugar Rush Racers ran over on screen to congratulate Vanellope von Schweetz, Leo's character _(Hazel only knew this because of Leo's imposed movie night education scheme).

"_May I ask why?"_

"_You just did." Byron hit Leo in the back of the head. Leo stuck his tongue out._

"_Because, she asked me to make it so that the other racers all got along with Vanellope, and she wanted me to add a character in for her. I had to play it to check that my modifications are working." _

"_You hacked it that flawlessly?" Byron looked to be in awe. _

"_Maybe." Leo smirked at him again._

"_Show me her character." Leo brought up the games menu, and flicked through the character profiles, settling on one called Bella Buttercream. A cartoon image of a brown haired racer with huge brown eyes and a cute cream outfit with a brown sash and small brown ribbons dotted throughout. _

"_It actually looks like her!" Byron was astounded. _

"_It's what she wanted." Leo seemed to brush of the compliment, and he turned to Byron._

"_Bet that you can't beat me." The reply was instantaneous._

"_Bet I can."_

"That was one of the best places that I stayed in while waiting for adoption/fostering."

Hazel grinned as her theory was confirmed, Leo's scribbling increased after that memory.

* * *

*This will be explained in either this story or it's sequel.

Also, I have absolutely no clue what the Wreck It Ralph game is actually like, but I've watched the film so I just made my own version, sorry. And I apologise if the first part was a little weird, inspiration struck. See you all next time :)


	25. Chapter 25

And now is the beginning of the end of this story at least. Only five chapters left. And I have some pretty serious exams coming up, so the updates may not be as regular as usual. I'm sorry in advance. Also, this chapter will have mentions of kidnapping so look out for that warning, though it really isn't serious or graphic or anything.

Pacenya347 : Thank you, I just thought about how that was a serious bonding moment for the two and that it deserved to be referenced.

Catsrawesome : I just thought that it would be something a little different, so I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And in my last high school English lesson, my teacher read Oh, the places you'll go! So it will always have a special place in my heart.

Bdog123 : But I enjoy mixing in the ideas that you guys give me as well. I look putting my own twist on them and seeing what you all think of how I utilised your ideas.

Melancholy's Sunshine : Ooh, I love all of those ideas. I'll try to include all of them in later chapters, but for this chapter, I'll definitely have the girls clothes. That is going to be fun.

Crazy-dasiy-in-tha-house : I would, but I want this story to focus on Leo's past. Maybe in a future story.

Neon-Wish : Thank you

QueenofLothlorien : I'm glad that it all made sense, I just thought that I'd try out something different. And I cannot wait for that film! I will put a Welsh character in this chapter, in fact, the idea works with another idea that I'm going to do this chapter. And I know that you wanted an illness/condition where Leo has to take medicine every few hours, but as I couldn't find one, I hope that painkillers will suffice?

Siddalee M : Aww, that ideas so cute. I'll put that in for you this chapter, so thank you my fellow demigod.

Iluvbooks : Thanks, I'm glad you love it.

Bris38 : Leo is so sarcastic/sassy. All of the demigods seem to be in their own way.

WitchoftheMountain : Oh no! Feels possession…

Kittehx1 : Thanks, I wanted to try something a little different.

Hadid : A real mix of emotions

StoneHeart : But it would probably be a really sad emoji, like loneliness or something.

Readingaddict24 : Well I'll be damed ;)

Septimus : Hehe, strange is my speciality.

The Steaming Cactus : It just goes to show how strong Leo is.

Cupcake Gal : I'm happy that you liked it, despite it being weird. And I've made so many people cry… I feel a bit like Riordan.

Our Mismatched Socks : Yes, I said sequel, I take it that you like that idea :)

Mondmaechen : I'm sorry that you found it confusing, but I'm glad that you enjoyed the rest.

Willowleaf : I seriously do feel a little bit like Riordan with the amount of people who I've made cry. And thank you for the ideas, I'll try to work them into the story. Leo meeting James again is going to be my one shot sequel, I'm having two sequels for this.

Grapplinghookgrimm : I really definitely be continuing this (I hope that your heart can take that).And I'm happy that it was realistic.

Guest There will be more.

IraTamashi99AmyliaZanpakuto : I'm glad that you're so excited about my story *reciprocates hug*. And I'm not really a genius, I'm just pretty good at torturing Leo.

ObsessedwReading : Thank you.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Don't apologise. You shouldn't have to feel obligated to read the story as soon as it comes out, though it makes me happy that you are so dedicated to my story. I hope that the no one was hurt in the storm, and that you also have a great week.

NinjaLordess : *Revives you from saliva induced death*. Thank you, and I hope that I don't kill you with anticipation...

HoOisawesome : Thank you, and I think that angst is probably my strongest element in this fic.

Killua minamoto : I hope that your exam goes well (good luck!). And I don't really ship Leo with any of the girls, but if the story looks good then I'll tolerate it. I may put some more self harm in later on.

Disclaimer : Although I've made almost as many people cry as Rick Riordan himself, I still am not him.

* * *

Frank's P.O.V

Frank was still feeling concerned for his girlfriend and his younger friend. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but it had really shook everyone up, especially Hazel. She had talked as if she had gone into Leo's head and talked to different facets of his personality, but surely that was impossible, even for demigods.

And because of Frank's words, Leo had felt the need to harm himself. Frank had learned so much during this, and he was fairly certain that an instance like that wouldn't be repeated. In fact, he was pretty certain that none of them would let it happen again.

Frank was definitely seeing Leo in a new light. Sure, his jokes could be a little annoying, but Leo had developed them as a defence mechanism against a world that was nothing but cruel to him. And Frankly, Frank didn't want to see Leo without his humour again. It was terrifying.

A new memory started up.

_Twelve year old Leo was standing in a row with four other children. They all wore fancy clothing. Leo was wearing black dress pants, a crisp white button shirt and a fire red waistcoat with shining orange decals._

Leo groaned.

"It's the rich witch." Everyone gave him a strange look.

"A pretty socialite who adopted a bunch of disadvantaged children from all over the world to look good and then never paid attention to them. She even tried to change our names. Serenity, Hope, Delight, Peace and Liberty." They all snickered at the names.

"So which were you?" Frank felt obliged to ask. Leo hung his head.

"Delight." They laughed harder.

"You aren't very delightful." Frank murmured.

"Your **frank **words wound me!"

_Leo turned to the other kids. _

"_Are you sure that you don't want to come with me?" The other kids nodded sadly._

"_How are you getting away without being caught? Everyone round here knows your face." The girl who said this was stunningly beautiful, her hair fair and curled and her eyes crystal blue. She also spoke in an incredibly thick Welsh accent._

"_I'll find a way, Anwen*." She shook her head._

"_I've got an idea. Follow me." Leo followed the girl who was roughly the same height as him. They walked down an incredibly extravagant corridor, before they reached what was presumably the girl's room._

"_What's your idea?" The girl smiled in a way that put birds of prey to shame._

"_You'll see."_

_The memory skipped forward._

_Anwen stood next to a slim Latino girl, whose dark curls just grazed her shoulders, held back by a sparkly red head band. The girl's dress was a plain red and white checked number that reached just below her knees, with two, thin straps that rested on her shoulders. All of her legs, except for the barest slither of tanned skin, were encased in white socks. Plain red converse rested on her feet. Red lipstick covered her glossy lips, and the smallest hint of blush stained her cheeks. She was also Leo Valdez, though you would have t know Leo quite well to know that._

"Oh my Gods!" Percy exclaimed. Frank was to busy busting his gut laughing to supply his own remark. Piper was eyeing Leo as if he would make a great new dress up doll, Hazel was blushing almost as furiously as Leo himself, Jason looked dumbfounded, Annabeth was just staring at the screen and Percy was laughing even louder than Frank.

"You make such a pretty girl!" Piper eventually squealed. Leo looked as if she had stabbed him.

"_I look stupid." Leo whined. The girl gave him a once over._

"_I think you look __**delightful**__, Lea darling." _

Frank laughed even harder at the reminder of the stupid name.

"_Well I'm certainly not feeling very __**peaceful**__." Anwen elbowed him._

"_Oh suck it up, Valdez. Just be glad that your slim enough and short enough to wear my clothes without looking ridiculous." _

"_Don't you want these clothes." Anwen shrugged._

"_I can always get the rich witch to buy me some more." Leo continued shifting uncomfortably, tugging his skirt down and fiddling with his extensions._

"_You should also be glad that Serenity offered to let you have her hair extensions." Leo pouted, and Anwen smiled._

"_You look so pretty."_

"_Bite me."_

"You seriously let her dress you up?" Annabeth looked inquisitive. Frank glanced over at his girlfriend, and noticed her frantically fanning her face.

"I was pretty well known, when ever the rich witch adopted anyone, she would parade them around long enough for everyone to remember what they looked like and what a good person she was before she lost interest."

"I don't know, **Lea**, I think that you are the prettiest girl in the world." Frank smirked at the thought of finally beating Leo in a battle of wits.

"Are you saying that I'm prettier then Hazel? Are you coming on to me? Because I must say that you're a good friend big guy, but I'm not into bestiality." Percy seemed to find this remark almost as funny as Leo's disguise.

"Touche." Frank grumbled. Leo doffed an invisible cap at him.

_Leo was sitting inside of Cabin Nine with an enraptured group of his siblings. Harley was seated possessively in his lap._

"_And then, I used the now motor powered toy car to drive to school the next day. My principal almost had a fit." His cabin mates all laughed, and Leo beamed triumphantly._

"_You're so good at building things Leo." Harley gazed at his older brother adoringly. _

"_Well that's what children of Hephaestus do." Shane shook his head._

"_Yeah, but you are making a freaking war ship! Dude, you are probably the most talented Hephaestus kid." Leo's eyes widened at this praise._

"_I couldn't make the ship without your help." _

"_Doesn't make you any less talented." Christopher jumped in._

"_Don't sell yourself short." Nyssa spoke last, rising from where she had been seated, and ruffling Leo's hair as she passed._

"Yeah, you are insanely talented." Frank almost laughed at the fact that Percy looked personally offended that Leo was belittling himself.

"Say's the horse whisperer."

"Say's the helicopter whisperer." Jason broke in. Him and Leo snickered. Frank gave Leo a confused look.

"Helicopter whisperer?" Leo smiled.

"On the quest to rescue Hera, we kind of borrowed a helicopter of a ranger and then I flew it to the Wolf house." Frank shook his head, but Percy didn't look as shocked as Frank was. The water boy apparently noticed his questioning glance.

"The kid flies a freaking boat, I don't know if he can shock me by flying something else."

Leo (who was eavesdropping in a decidedly unsubtle way) seemed to take Percy's words as a challenge.

"I once made a Harley Davidson fly." Percy's jaw dropped.

"Looks like I stand corrected." Frank nodded, agreeing mutely.

_Tiny six year old Leo was sobbing into his mother's arms. Esperanza rocked him, cooing lovingly into his small, elven ear._

"_Tell me, mijo." _

"_I was burning. My dragon was flying and I was burning. La mujer estuvo riendo (the woman was laughing). I died in fuego (fire)." The boy was near inconsolable. _

"_Shush, mijo. Fuego es tu amigo. No puede matarte (It can't kill you). When you are old enough, you'll meet your father and he'll explain everything to you." She kissed her crying child. Leo calmed down slowly, still hiccuping and sniffling. Esperanza held him close, and Leo's eyes drifted shut._

"_I will die in fire." He muttered as he cuddled into his mother and fell soundly asleep. Esperanza looked stricken._

The demigods also looked stricken. They turned to Leo in unison. The boy in question had abandoned his notebook for the moment, and was currently building a tiny, spinning windmill.

"Seriously Leo!" Piper screeched, and Leo and Jason (who were the closest to her), winced and protected their ears.

"You just prophesied your own death, and you are making a windmill."

"Not just any windmill." Leo's monstrous creation sprung to life. The windmill lit up as it spun, and it sand the American national anthem.

"See, it's patriotic." Leo was glared at by everybody. His shoulders slumped.

"I was six. Seriously, dying in dreams was common."

"But demigod dreams..."

"Often come true. I know. But my six year old dream won't. Seriously guys, I've had like a bajillon dreams where I die. They can't all come true can they?"

"That line at the end was pretty ominous." Frank felt compelled to point this out, receiving a dark Latino death stare for his trouble.

"I was six." The demigods gave in, but Frank knew that he wasn't the only one with a bad feeling about those words.

**Warning : Memory of a kidnapping**

_Ten year old Leo was tied to a rickety, wooden chair, and the expression on his face could only be classified as bored, an incongruous expression considering the fact that neither his hands nor his feet were free. _

_Two hoodie clad teens hovered nearby, close enough to be threatening, but not close enough to completely terrify the child (also an odd gesture considering the fact that they were guarding a tied up child)._

"_Look, kid, we don't want no trouble." One spoke up._

Frank frowned, was that voice familiar?

"_If you don't want no trouble, then you want some trouble." Leo looked far too smug for a child in his position. _

"_Just give us your parent's number so that they can cough up some money for you." Leo's gaze crumpled._

"_My mom is dead, and I don't know my father. You might as well kill me or let me go because no one will pay up for me." The teens actually seemed to panic. They leaned in to each other, and spoke in quieter tones, but Leo could still clearly hear them. _

"_Damn! I think the kid's serious."_

"_Just our luck to pick up another homeless kid."_

"_I don't know, I kind of like him." _

_Leo piped up._

"_I'm not a stray animal."_

"Gods, you're mouthy for a tied up kid." Frank gave Leo an appraising look." Leo laughed gently.

"I played a hunch."

_The same teen who had claimed to like Leo actually laughed._

"_He has spunk." The other groaned._

"_We are too young to adopt another child into the gang." _

"_Please." The other teen finally laughed._

"_Fine. But you have to feed and water him." The boys pulled back their hoods._

"I knew they were familiar!" Frank shouted excitedly. He then sat down sheepishly as the others laughed at his outburst.

_The teens were in fact two of the older boys from the free running video. They kissed gently._

"_As lovely as this, can one of you untie me? And I'm not your pet." The boys apologised to the cranky child and untied him. _

"_I wonder if anyone does a pamphlet called my two gay adoptive fathers are gang leaders." He groused. The older boys chuckled, and the one that had begged to keep him ran a hand through his hair affectionately. _

"_If they do, I'll find you one." He joked._

"And that is how you join a gang." Leo said with a smirk.

"That was one of the most bizarre things that I have ever witnessed. And I'm a demigod who shared a room with Leo." Frank cracked up at Jason's comment.

* * *

*I hope that it means fair/blessed.

I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you all next time :)


	26. Chapter 26

And here is the next instalment for Learning about Leo. I hope you enjoy it. And thanks to everyone who faved or followed. I'm really sorry, I accidentally re-uploaded chapter 6 as chapter 26. Here is the actual chapter.

IraTamashi99AmyliaZanpakuto : , I try to put humour in. 2. Thank you 3. I hope that it's worth the wait.

Grapplinghookgrimm : Thank you :)

Catsrawesome : I enjoyed writing that pun way too much.

Sidda : Thank you so much for both of your lovely reviews (my fellow demigod). And if I'm going to be calling you Sidda from now on, then feel free to call me Mew or Mewsugar. And I quite like your idea, are you sure that you don't want me to use it? And it's a good format. I don't want it to end, but I know it has to and that's why I'm planning the sequels.

QueenofLothlorien : That's a weird coincidence! And I'll have Leo and the pamphlet next chapter. And yes, we do all know what that means ;) Good night/day to you as well.

Willowleaf : Thank you, both for your review and for wishing me luck :) And yes, hooray for sequels, I need something to keep me going when this is gone.

Neon Wish : Thank you.

Kittehx1 : The thought of Leo in a frilly dress makes me giggle.

Awesomesauce90 : I don't want it to end wither, but I'd rather it ends well instead of dragging out incessantly. I'm glad that you have decided to cherish the last chapters.

Cupcake Gal : Thank you, and the feelings you just described are what I go through when I get kind reviews like this one :)

Melancholy's Sunshine : I'm glad that you liked it, and oh yes, Piper and her sisters are going to have a field day when he gets back to camp. And I'll use two of your ideas next chapter, and the other in chapter 28. Feel free to ramble away, I do it all the time.

NinjaLordess : I'm happy that you survived (everyone should know about the reviving power of food) and I'll try my best to keep up the humour.

HoOisawesome : Very, very ironic ;) And you're very welcome (I love all of my reviewers).

TooObsessedWithBooks : Only a few more updates to go before I'm onto the sequel.

Guest : You're welcome, and I'm happy to provide a new perspective on Leo.

Raccoon1113 : I can't, I'm sorry but this story is set before Leo and Calypso meet. And I've got a few more posts to go.

Mondmaedchen : Thanks, and I have a lot of friends who are gay/bi so it really doesn't bother me what a person's sexuality is.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Thank you, and all of my friends know that I'm crazy. I hope that you also have a nice week.

Connwaer Heap : I think that he was eight. And I'm glad that you enjoyed my wordplay :)

Gigigirl1908 : I'll put both of those memories in for you, one next chapter and the other one in chapter 28. And yep, girl Leo.

69Philyra69 : I wish that I could, but I only have a few chapters left, and as my exam week is coming up, I may have to slow them down a little. Sorry.

ObsessedwReading : You're welcome, it makes me happy to know that my story cheers people up.

NinjaLordess : Thank you (for both the review and for you wishing me luck) and ramble away, I love to ramble. And here is your update *looks around nervously to check if I updated before you died again*.

Killua minamoto : Ah! Don't worry, this is a friendship fic, not a pairing fic. And I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And about my other story, it's not a yaoi, but it's sequel will be, and I needed the Calypso scenes to set the rest of the story up, it will go back to being about Leo and Nico now.

Bullkitty51 : I'll put that in this chapter for you. And I'm glad that you love it.

FracturedSanity419 : That's not good, I hope that it gets sorted out for you. And sure I'll put another reference in for you, I love the story behind the games and all of that.

MakaylaCO : I know, though their friendship does seem to improve later on. And here's more.

Disclaimer : I wish that I owned Leo Valdez, but that hasn't came true yet. I don't own FNAF or the Lord of the Rings either. You get the picture.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V

Annabeth wasn't certain on whether she should be amused at the previous memory or worried about how easily Leo had joined a gang.

The Latino demigod was making another Five Nights figure (from what Annabeth knew of the game, it was a creature called the marionette). Percy had retrieved his Freddy figure, and was watching as the younger boy created a new masterpiece. Annabeth was a little wary of the devious grin on Leo's face, but she decided to let it go. If Percy was going to fall into Leo's trap, maybe he deserved to get pranked.

_The Leo who had broke his wrist by falling from the construction site wall with the boy who had pushed him and the two gang leaders in the room. His wrist was in a cast, but the three older boys all looked sad and guilty._

"_I'm fine with aspirin guys." Leo smiled bravely, but it was obvious that he was in pain. The gang leader that was convinced to let Leo join, shook his head._

"_Kid, we shouldn't have helped you break out of hospital, you need more than this crappy aspirin." _

_Leo shook his head resolutely._

"_Leo, there's no way that you'll remember to take an aspirin every four hours." This was the gang leader that had wanted to bring Leo into the gang. The boy who had pushed him stepped forward._

"_I'll make sure that he takes them." His voice was solemn. Leo gave him a small look of amusement._

"_Dude, I don't need a babysitter." The other teens, however, seemed to think that he did. _

"_Thanks Jadon." They passed Jadon a bottle of aspirin, and left, ruffling Leo's hair as they walked away. Jadon turned to Leo who was pouting dramatically._

"_Look, Leo. I owe you. And if the only way for me to repay you is by making sure that you remember to take your pain medication, then that's what I'll do. You can take your dose now, and then I'll collect you in four hours for your next one." Leo grumbled, but he swallowed the pills voluntarily._

_Four hours later._

"_LEO! Get your butt over here right now and take your medicine!" Leo nowhere to be seen, and Jadon stalked through the construction site, growling occasionally under his breath. _

"_I only want to help." He muttered, guilt lacing his words._

"_Jeez, you don't give up easily." Jadon staggered a little as Leo dropped onto his shoulders lightly. _

"_Ack! What are you doing?" Leo sniggered as he perched on top of the older boy's shoulders._

"_As penitence for breaking my arm, you must give me a piggy back." Jadon walked to the main shelter area, carrying Leo and complaining about him being heavy, though there was the smallest trace of a grin on his face._

"It was only right for him to take care of you after injuring you so badly." Annabeth stated. It was only fair, but Leo gave her an exasperated look.

"He didn't mean for me to get hurt like that, he just wanted me to mess up because he was sick of the older boys always giving me attention."

"That doesn't excuse what he did. Don't try to condone his actions." Annabeth wasn't a fan of bending the rules, thought the other members of the group tended to be a bit more lenient.

"Sometimes people do bad things for good reasons. Weren't you the one saying that everyone should let me of for stealing?" Leo seemed to be goading her, and Annabeth felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.

"Those were extenuating circumstances. You had to steal to feed/clothe yourself and... and he was just jealous!" Annabeth knew that her words had been pretty tactless, and she could have kicked herself for bringing up Diggory and Cassie. It was the sort of foot in mouth remark that she would have expected from Percy or even Leo himself. Leo stared at the screen, and a forlorn look rested on his features.

"He was scared that he was going to get kicked out of the gang." His voice was tired, and Annabeth wondered if Leo had played this fight out in his head when he was ten, to decide whether or not Jadon was worthy of forgiveness. Forgiveness. She found it ironic that the name Jadon meant forgiveness, while it was Leo who was almost an epitome of forgiveness. A frown creased her eyebrows at the thought that maybe Leo was always so forgiving because he didn't think that his life was worth it. It would tie in with the others signs he had shown... could his fatal flaw be inferiority?

"Why was he scared that he'd be kicked out of the gang? Those leaders seemed pretty tolerant." Annabeth's thirst for knowledge flared up, and she leaned in to absorb any new information that could be gleaned from Leo about his past.

"He was older than me, yet I was way more self sufficient than him. He felt as if he contributed nothing to the group, and that Cedric and Darien would realise this and kick him out." Annabeth started as she heard the names. Cedric meaning war leader and Darien meaning gift, they had lead a gang together and gifted street children with a make-shift home. She wondered just how many names in Leo's past held some significance.

She also didn't fail to make the link between Jadon's lack of self confidence, and the lack of self confidence that Leo often displayed. Maybe Leo had spared Jadon from being punished by the leaders because he recognised a kinship between them.

"He had a low opinion of himself, ever since he was a kid. I noticed that and I thought that maybe I could help him out. He thought that he had no place within the gang, but I thought that he played a pretty good nurse." Annabeth's felt realisation dawn on her.

"You allocated him a role..."

"And he felt like a true member of the gang." Jason finished her sentence for her, and Leo smiled gently. He then pushed a button on his marionette doll, causing Percy's Freddy toy to spring to life, and once again giving everyone else a heart attack. Both toys had glowing eyes and were singing creepy songs.

"Seriously Percy, how did you not expect me to use the marionette to pull the strings of his fellow animatronic?" Percy looked disapointed in himself. Annabeth felt her heart rate settling down. Another reason why Percy and Leo were pretty similar, they were always unpredictable, but Leo was by far worse then Percy.

_Thirteen year old Leo was sitting astride a purring Harley Davidson. He was only wearing a black pair of sweat pants, and his torso and face were streaked with sweat and oil. The look of pure satisfaction was clear as he revved the bike._

_He was in a pretty out of the way place, nothing around but the road that he was parked on and some trees._

"_Okay Dave, we can do this." He patted his motorbike reassuringly. _

"Must you name everything?" Piper groaned, and Leo winked at her.

"My creations are my friends."

"Dude, you sound like a mad scientist." Percy snickered as Leo assumed a Gollum pose.

"My precious." He hissed.

"You've watched Lord of the Rings?" Annabeth didn't think that Leo would be interested in a classic such as Lord of the Rings.

"And read them which was pretty hellish considering the fact that I'm dyslexic." He seemed to pick up on Annabeth's shocked look.

"Yeah, the repair boy has layers. I happen to like fantasy." Annabeth felt a little ashamed that she just assumed that Leo didn't read much, after all, he did seem to be into fantasy. He named his flying, metal dragon "Happy" for Hades sake.

"Why is nobody asking about why he's shirtless?" Poor Frank sounded really put out that nobody had asked about Leo's state of semi undress.

"I used my shirt to clean up some excess oil when I encountered a small problem and was too far away to go to the Home to fix it. It wasn't exactly salvageable." Annabeth was glad that Leo was pretty much incapable of catching a cold, because the amount of clothes that he ruined through flame or creating things left him half naked often.

_Leo kicked up the little stand, and leant forwards, naturally adopting the best position to handle the machine in the way of a Hephaestus child._

_The bike started forwards at a rapid pace, and Leo held the handles tighter, adapting his stance and clicking a small button on the bike. Wings snapped out of the sides underneath Leo's feet, and the bike hopped a little before steadily ascending._

_Leo whooped, veering the bike upwards with a serene grin. The air whipped some of his curls into his face, and Leo simply shook it of, adjusting his position with every changing current._

_The bike flew for a few minutes, but eventually Leo nudged it down towards the road on which he had started., narrowly avoiding a couple of birds. _

_Leo landed the bike safely, and started doing an impromptu victory dance. The camera zoomed in on a man sitting nearby, mouth agape. He looked at the sky, and then at the sandwich in his hands. He rubbed his eyes vigorously before declaring that he needed more sleep._

They all started laughing.

"That poor mortal, I wonder if the mist actually showed him what happened." Hazel giggled, while Percy cackled next to Annabeth.

"What happened to the bike?" Annabeth wondered if Leo had stashed it somewhere, but the look that encroached on Leo's cheerful face told a different story.

"It crashed." He simply asserted, though Annabeth could tell that he was holding something back from that story. Another video started beforre she could press the issue.

"_Come on mijo, puedes hacerlo (you can do it)." Six year old Leo sat hesitantly on top of a Bob the Builder bike._

"Can we fix it?" Leo yelled, and Annabeth's boyfriend seemed incapable of not joining in with the stupidity.

"YES WE CAN!" He practically screamed back. Annabeth rubbed her abused ears.

"_Are you sure?" Leo's lip quivered, and he gazed at the bike distrustfully._

"_Of course I am." It seemed that this was the only encouragement that Leo needed to get started as he began pedalling furiously. _

_Too furiously._

"_Slow down mijo." Esperanza yelled, alarm in her voice. But it was too late. Leo's bike skidded wildly for a moment, and then it careened into a lamppost, flinging Leo onto the sidewalk. _

"_LEO!" His mom dashed towards the immobile boy. Then he twitched and looked up, blood spurting out of his knees, arm and rolling down his forehead._

"_Ouchie." He looked up at his mother, but he didn't cry. _

"Why aren't you crying, at that age, an injury like that should have you breaking own." Leo's responding grin seemed a little bitter.

"Hera was moulding me to be her strong little soldier." Annabeth's fists clenched at the mention of her least favourite goddess and how she had played with child Leo's life. Everyone was quiet for a moment or two, but then Percy snorted.

"Only you could be shown riding a flying motorbike one minute and then face-planting of a regular bike the next." Annabeth elbowed him for his insensitivity, but Leo also cracked up. Wisdom's daughter was honestly lost. She had the feeling that she would never get used to Leo's unpredicatbility. But maybe that was a god skill for the younger demigod to have, life on the streets was hard and the situation changed endlessly. Someone who wasn't as flexible, as able to adapt as Leo would be chewed up and spat out if they attempted to live alone on the streets.

_Four year old Leo was clutched in his mothers arms outside of a New York museum._

"Hey, I recognise that museum, my mom used to take me there when I was a kid." Percy blurted out. Annabeth stared at the screen a little more intently. Life couldn't be that coincidental, Leo couldn't have met both Percy and Nico when he was a kid. It was near improbable.

"_Espero que pueda visitar Espana con tu (I hope that I can visit Spain with you). But for now, I will settle with La Manzana Grande (The Big Apple). Leo's clever eyes seemed to digest this information, and he revealed a pearly white grin. _

_They proceeded inside, and Esperanza paid the entrance fee. They wondered around, and Leo seemed to be in a daze of sheer delight, squealing joyfully at everything from bugs to dinosaurs to the old machinery. Esperanza also seemed to be overwhelmed at her baby boy's happiness. _

_Then a woman with brown her and frantic blue eyes bumped into them, almost knocking Esperanza over whilst shouting for Percy._

"Mom!" Percy exclaimed, and the air thrummed with tension. Had Leo met two of the big three kids without realising it. Annabeth's eyebrows almost became airborne. The odds were astronomical, but Leo did seem to be one for defying the odds.

"_I'm so sorry!" Sally Jackson apologised, though her eyes remained darting around the museum._

"_It's fine. Are you okay?" Esperanza shifted Leo's weight a little bit, and Miss Jackson's eyes drifted towards him, her eyes watering._

"_My son, he has ADHD and he's ran off. I can't find him anywhere and he's only six." Esperanza looked at her sympathetically. _

"_What does he look like." Miss Jackson quickly filled her in on Percy's details._

"_Okay, mijo. Where would you run of to if you had the chance." Miss Jackson gave her a confused glance, and Esperanza hastily explained that Leo was ADHD as well and that maybe they would think alike. Miss Jackson conceded that it was a good plan, and they Esperanza put Leo down, grasping his hand tightly and tugging his mom along, Sally following, distraught._

_When they reached the area, Miss Jackson's eyes widened._

"_Why didn't I think to look in the space section?" The space section was pretty secure, and Esperanza bent down so that she was eye level with Leo._

"_Mijo, I trust you to be a big boy." She pulled his sleeve up and tapped the watch that was affixed to his arm._

"_You remember how to tell the time?" Leo nodded affirmatively. "Then I want you to look in some of the least accesible hiding spots for adults and then meet us back here in five minutes, with or without Percy." Leo nodded again, and Sally looked stunned._

"_Is it a good idea to have two children on their own?" Esperanza smiled proudly._

"_My son can look after himself, and the space area was designed for children to play in. He is a very smart boy, and I believe in him." Sally nodded hesitantly, and the three split up._

"That's not very resbonsible." Annabeth remarked offhandedly. Leo whirled on her, tiny fires portraying his rage.

"My mother was incredibly responsible. She was the best mom in the world and she knew that I had a better chance of finding Percy alone then either of them did." His tone was hotter then the flames sprouting on his skin. Annabeth raised her hands in defence.

"I didn't mean to offend your mom, I just didn't think that it was wise..."

"And your wisdom is better then everyone else's." Leo's words were barbed, specifically chosen to wound Annabeth, and it worked. She recoiled, and Percy leapt to her defence.

"She wasn't dissing your mom." This seemed only to fuel Leo's ire.

"No, she was just questioning whether or not my mom was a suitable parent, like they all do. Everyone thought that they knew better then my mom because she was young and a mechanic and she wasn't married. Well my mother was the best mother in the world. She may not have been a traditional parent, but I didn't need a traditional parent! I needed someone who didn't mind that their child could do more complicated maths then they could. Who encouraged me to draw whatever I wanted. I needed my mom." Leo seemed to deflate, the anger rushing out of him as he uttered the last line. One of his defence mechanisms kicked in, and he curled up slightly, snivelling softly.

Even if Leo had got up, performed a complicated ballet and then started manipulating water, Annabeth wouldn't be more stunned then she was now.

She felt as if someone had slapped her, nails gouging marks in her soul.

"I'm sorry. Your mom was great, and you can tell that she truly loved you. " Annabeth rarely felt as if her words were inadequate, but at the moment they felt woefully so. Leo responeded though, and Annabeth felt guilty knowing that she had been banking on Leo's inferiority complex to forgive her.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have got so defensive. It's just, so many people used to judge my mom as being a bad parent, and she wasn't. She was awesome." Annabeth shoved Percy out of the way, and initiated a hug with the Latino.

"I'm sorry." Leo squeezed her a little.

"Don't apologise Wise Girl. You'll ruin the whole dynamic that we've got going on."

"What?"

"How am I meant to resent you, and hold a grudge if you go and apologise, bringing yourself to my level? You are the omniscient daughter of Athena, and I am simply a humble repair boy." Annabeth was about to argue, when she caught Jason's eyes. The blond shook his head slowly, and Annabeth accepted that this must be a quirk of Leo's.

"I rescind my apology then." She replied, mock haughtily. Leo laughed.

_Little raced around the room like a hurricane, stopping in front of a planet themed play area. He sized it up for a few moments, and then he entered. He smirked as he noticed a dark mop of hair on one of the taller structures, but that quickly morphed into a frown as he noticed the tall man trying to grab the older by._

"There was a cyclops trying to attack you!" Percy frowned.

"It must have been rogue, my father only ever sent them to protect me.

_Leo ran into the play area, and then booted the towering man in the shins._

"_Leave him alone." His shrill voice caught the attention of the cyclops, who turned to him and grinned nastily. Leo continued taunting him, and then he checked his watch._

"_Stay there Percy, I'll get your mom." The cyclops growled and sprinted after the tiny boy, but Leo was clearly faster. _

_He almost bowled his mother over. She caught him in her arms, and frowned when she saw the boy chasing her precious son._

"_He was trying to get Percy from the planet play area." Leo glanced at Miss Jackson who had gone pale. A security guard saw the commotion and ran over to apprehend the monster who turned and fled, guard in hot pursuit. The women and Leo ran to the play area where Sally safely extracted her son. She turned to thank Esperanza and Leo, but the two had disappeared. _

_Esperanza also looked terrified as she ducked out of the museum. It seemed that she had realised that Leo was also at risk._

"You saved my life before I even met you." Percy appraised the Latino who looked uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

"Well you saved the entire world before I met you so consider us even." Percy looked mystified, and Annabeth didn't blame him. Leo was extraordinary. He had kicked a cyclops in the shins at the age of four. The child was unbelievable.

* * *

Yay, Annabeth's chapter is out the way (I've decided to do a final chapter in all of Leo's friend's P. , I've already done Hazel, Frank and now Annabeth).


	27. Chapter 27

Yeah, I am sorry for messing up last chapter, thank you to everyone who pointed out that I'd posted the wrong chapter. And in other words, OVER 500 REVIEWS. Thank you all so much for your continued support, every review makes me smile. Also, there will be two males kissing in this chapter, I apologise if this causes any discomfort. Thank you to all my faves and follows also.

Enhisbeautiful : I want to give Leo a bit more depth, especially in his back story.

Guest : Because I am a dope who clicked the wrong document.

RosileJackson : I'm glad that you liked it despite the fact that I goofed. And I'm sorry, but I want this fic to focus on the past more than the future so I can't put anything in which has Calypso clearly featured.

Our Mismatched Socks : You are not mistaken.

Kittehx1 : Yes, it was a mistake.

Neon Wish : Yes, sorry.

Guest : Yes we did.

Lila : Don't be sorry, it was my mistake. Thank you for pointing it out.

Sidda : I'll try to fit that idea in for you. And we'll always have the sequels. And I don't think that I can fit the knife thing in, but I can put in the Teen Titans one. I think that my Godly parent is either Hermes or Athena, who do you think yours is?

Ybbilicious : Don't worry, there are a few chapters left and the sequels.

Awesometacos : Yeah, I saw the six and instantly thought that it was 26.

Grey Fox Ninja : Sadly yes.

Epicawesomen00b : Thank you, but it's terrible how I make myself laugh with bad puns.

Awesomesauce90 : Yeah, I messed up.

Cupcake Gal : Thank you so much, and I try my best to make each memory worth some consideration, even the small ones. And don't be ashamed, you can read my story whenever you want so feel free to take your time.

FPSCanarussia : Yup, document 6 instead of document 26.

MarissaTodd : Yeah, I posted the wrong chapter.

ObsessedwReading : You're very welcome, and I'm happy that my story can help you out when you're feeling down.

Girlscoutcadettekayla : I'm the one that's going crazy, I re-uploaded chapter 6.

Abigaia the Wolf : Thank you J

Guest : Yeah.

Connwaer Heap : Because I am a doofus. And you are very welcome.

Eye Of Imagination : Thanks, I'm glad that you like my story despite me messing up.

Readingaddict24 : Thanks.

Melancholy's Sunshine : Thank you, and Leo and any Cyclops (excluding Tyson) really don't seem to mix. And I'm surprised that I never thought of that, thanks for the idea.

Killua minamoto : I'm sorry, it's difficult to get accents up on my computer, and that means I sometimes forget them. I'll try harder to remember them in the future. And thank you, for reading this fic and for attempting my other, it means a lot that you are willing to read both of my stories. And I'll put both ideas in somewhere.

MakaylaCO : Thank you so much, it's nice to hear that you think my story is the best. And I am definitely obsessed with Leo as well.

HoOisawesome : Annabeth is definitely the most comforting member of the team *note my sarcasm*. And thanks for pointing that out J

Great Faith : Thanks, and Leo is really awesome.

Guest : He really does have terrible luck.

Bdog123 : Thanks, and I'm glad that my attempt to build tension worked.

Mondmaedchen : For someone so wise, she can be awfully dumb.

The Steaming Cactus : Thank you, and I won't be abandoning this story, it will have a proper conclusion in chapter 30. And do you want one?

Bullkitty51 : And thank you for your lovely reviews.

Guest : Valdez.

FracturedSanity419 : I'm glad that your account is alright, and there will always be more angst to come ;)

IraTamashi99AmyliaZanpakuto : Thank you, I love writing so much so it's really nice when an awesome reviewer like you tells me that I'm good at it.

Attila Shadeslayer : I feel honoured that you consider my story worthy of your first review, and it is considerate of all of you guys to review so I would feel bad if I didn't reply. And I'll try my best.

Emmie : Thanks, and she's mostly sorted her feelings out, though Frank may still have jealous moments.

Lilac : I'm sorry that you have to miss it, I wish that I could update more often.

Kaylee ; I'll try my best.

Disclaimer : I think that you know the drill by now, PJ and HOH are not mine. Anything that is recognisable isn't mine.

* * *

Piper's P.O.V

Every time that Piper felt that she couldn't be more surprised by Leo's exploits, he went and did something stupidly brave like kicking a cyclops in the shin as a toddler. If she was being honest with herself, she had known for a while that Leo was more courageous then he let on to, but as he had seemed content with being treated as nothing more than a jester, Piper hadn't brought it up. she wondered now if that was a wise move. Maybe she should have confronted Leo about the issue a long time ago, it could have saved a lot of hassle and pain.

As the screen flickered on, Piper moved away from her self retrospection to watch another video of Leo's past.

_Ten year old gang Leo was bouncing up and down excitedly as Jadon rolled his eyes beside him._

"_You are going to terrify the poor kid." He said amusedly. Leo giggled._

"_But I finally get to use it!" _

"You aren't about to unleash an untested invention on some poor, unsuspecting kid are you?" Piper felt obliged to ask. Leo shook his head, a small grin creeping onto his face.

_The two gang leaders walked around the wall that the boys were leaning against, ushering a dirty, shy looking kid in front of them. _

_Leo leapt up and jogged towards them._

"_Here." Leo pushed something into the other kid's hand. The new boy looked down and the camera zoomed onto a pamphlet._

"_My two gay adoptive fathers are gang leaders." It proclaimed in bold red writing. The boy looked at Leo quizzically as Leo and the gang leaders fell about laughing, and Jadon gazed on like a guardian angel._

Piper felt her Aphrodite senses tingle.

"Did Jadon have a crush on you?" Leo flushed, and everyone stared at him in amazement. Piper's inner child of Aphrodite shrieked.

"Maybe." Leo answered, clearly uncomfortable with this line of questioning, but Piper couldn't stop asking questions now even if she wanted to.

"That's so cute! When did he confess, how did you react?" Leo reddened and tinkered with his belt as he always did when feeling awkward. Thankfully, the screen was willing to fill in the blanks.

_Jadon stood in front of Leo, hair in front of his eyes. Leo had a bag slung over his shoulders and was breathing heavily, clearly in the grips of a strong emotion. _

"_I have to leave." Leo attempted to brush past the elder boy, but Jadon didn't budge an inch._

"_No." Jadon's voice was deadly quiet._

"_I can't stay here Jadon! I just can't. Please let me go." Leo again tried to squirm past the older boy, but his hand was caught in a vice like grip._

"_Leo, I need you." Jadon whimpered, and Leo hung his head._

"_I've got to go." _

"_Then let me come with you." Jadon begged._

"_NO! "Jadon, you just found your place in the gang. I can't tear you away from that." Jadon was crying now._

"_I need you more Leo. I like you." Leo gave him a confused look through his tears._

"_And I like you too Jadon, but I still have to leave." The older boy looked frustrated._

"_I don't mean as a friend..." The implication was heavy, but Leo was clearly too young to understand. Jadon groaned and kissed Leo on the cheek._

"_I've had a crush on you ever since you didn't rat me out to the leaders." Leo's eyes widened in understanding._

"_I'm sorry..." Jadon cut Leo off before he could apologise._

"_No, don't say sorry. It's not your fault. I'm sorry. I'm so stupid. I knew that you didn't like me this way, I just can't face you leaving." Leo's face twisted miserably._

"_I didn't realise. But I still have to go Jadon." Jadon's composure finally shattered, and he buried his head in Leo's hair, sobbing._

"_I know you do." He choked out._

"_And you understand that you can't come with me." Jadon shook his head, arms tightening around Leo's smaller frame. _

""_Jadon, they need you more then you need me." Leo pulled back from the embrace, hoisting his bag onto his shoulders. Jadon observed sadly. they stared at each other for a few moments, a storm of emotions brewing. Leo stepped forward, and held something out to the slightly older boy. _

"_A few weeks after I joined, Cedric gave me this ring. You can look after it for now, a promise that I will come back and find you one day." Jadon's eyes welled up again as he wrapped his hand around the ring. _

"_Good luck." He whispered, and Leo hugged him one last time before sprinting away. Jadon collapsed to the floor as soon as Leo was out of sight, cradling the ring to his chest._

"Oh, Leo." Piper felt so sad for both boys. Jadon was too young to have his heartbroken, and Leo was far too young to have had to break his friend's heart. Leo had never been lucky in love and Piper felt even more resentment towards he mother for putting Leo into such difficult situations.

Annabeth had moved back to her original spot so that Leo was now sitting next to Jason and Percy again, and Piper fought the urge to climb past her boyfriend and to just wrap Leo up in a hug for the rest of he video.

"I still haven't retrieved that ring..." Leo looked guilty, and Piper's heart clenched at the sheer amount of grief in Leo's eyes.

"You haven't exactly had a chance." Percy told Leo softly. Le smiled faintly, but Piper could tell that he was silently renewing his promise, and that after the quest was finished, Leo would be searching for Jadon. Piper vowed privately to aid Leo in any way she could to help him move on from his past.

_Leo was chilling in the Argo's game room, casually flicking through television channels. He finally settled on Teen Titans, just as the episode began. _

"_The Beast within." He mumbled._

"Hey, we have our very own Beast Boy in the form of Frank." Leo chirped happily, and Frank shot the Latino a death glare. Piper smiled, but she noticed a small flicker of worry in Leo's eyes, and she realised that something about this memory was going to reveal something that Leo didn't want them to know.

_Leo smiled as the episode began._

"_I guess I'm the Beast Boy of the group, even if Frank's the one with the powers."_

Piper gave him and odd look, and Leo shrugged at her.

"Beast Boy is kind of the Joker of the group." Percy gasped.

"So he's the villain." His words were teasing, and Piper was pretty certain that Percy had watched the show and knew who Beast Boy was. Leo whacked Percy admonishingly.

"Hey, I'm the Beast Boy. Puns are my thing." Percy laughed.

_Leo watched wit rapt attention as the first few scenes had the young superheroes fought against the villain of the week, his grin intensifying as Beast Boy defeated the rampaging villain._

"I_ just got sick of being pushed around." This line of dialogue flowed from the screen, and Leo's face twidted thoughtfully._

"_I wonder what would happen if I went on a fire destruction spree during our next fight and used that as an excuse ." His eyes seemed riveted on the screen and he hummed quietly. "Well I am definitely the Beast Boy."_

"What do you mean by that?" Piper didn't really understand the remark, she had never seen this TV show and she wondered if this episode held any specific relevance to Leo. The Latino in question stared at the screen.

"Just watch." He instructed.

_The episode continued for a while with Beast Boy's behaviour changing. Leo was fascinated as the character who was usually so like him started getting angrier and angrier and his powers seemed to get more and more out of control._

_A scene came on where Beast boy had to threaten Raven with his powers to command her respect, and Leo frowned._

"_They don't really respect me either Beast Boy." He raised the volume._

"We do respect you." Piper blurted out, shocked that Leo thought they didn't respect him. Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Really, before this experience did any of you truly respect me as an equal power wise or intelligence wise." They all shifted slightly as they thought back on how they had treated Leo before this. They had seemed to view Leo as the weakest link, he appeared to have least control over his powers, seemed to be incapable of taking anything seriously and the Eidolon incident had all culminated in a collective view that Leo was the weakest link of the team.

Piper felt shame flow through her at her dismal treatment of Leo. She more then anyone should have believed in Leo, during the quest for Hera he did most of the work. The memory continued before anyone could make a formal apology to Leo.

_The episode continued, and Robin and Beast Boy had a confrontation about Beast Boy's attitude in the hallway, and Robin basically said that Beast Boy better change his attitude or leave._

"_Robin's Percy just after the Eidolon incident, hates me because he thinks I'm a screw up."_

"I didn't hate you, I just lost my temper." Leo waved it off.

"I know Aqua man, I was just being grouchy."

_The complicated plot unfolded on screen, with all of the Titans believing that Beast Boy was an enemy, especially Robin._

"_I'm definitely Beast Boy and Percy's definitely Robin there." Leo's voice was sad._

Piper berated herself once again for not noticing the lingering guilt that Leo had felt for indirectly firing on Camp Jupiter.

_Robin interrogated Beast Boy harshly, and Leo snorted. It wasn't a happy sound._

"_Maybe a little bit of Annabeth as well."_

Said demigod twirled her hands ashamedly. Piper was drawing may disturbing parallels between this cartoon and the Eidolon incident. She was almost sure that this was what had caused the worry in Leo's eyes before the memory began properly.

_In the end of the episode it was revealed that Beast Boy hadn't been an enemy all along, he had been trying to save his friends. _

_Leo turned of the TV and stretched._

"_So he was attacked by his friends for something that wasn't his fault. Why is Beast Boy so like me?" Leo's question was mournful._

Piper noticed Percy once again opening his mouth to apologise, but Leo prevented hi from doing so again.

"We've all moved on. It's fine. In fact, if you hadn't knocked me out then I probably would have screwed the situation up even more." Piper contemplated what she had seen of this Beast Boy character. A joker who had hidden depths and felt as if he was isolated/ pushed around by his friends. Leo's declarations of being similar to the shape shifting cartoon character now made a lot more sense.

_Leo was in his bed on the Argo, clearly in the throes of a nightmare. _

"_I can't burn." He desperately moaned as the dream continued._

"_I can't burn." He repeated, the sheets tangling around his legs as he flailed, as if to put out fires on his body._

_He shot awake suddenly, eyes fearful. _

"Was that the same nightmare as before." Piper felt cold dread creep along her spine. If Leo had dreamt it twice, could he really be prophesising his own death? Everyone but Leo looked incredibly freaked out.

"Guys, my powers used to scare the crap out of me. It isn't that strange to think that I would dream of them going out of control and hurting me." His gaze turned dark.

"I'd seen what they could do first hand." Piper knew that they were probably just being paranoid, but shrugging of a demigod dream was never a good decision. If it was true... if Leo was going to die due to his own flames then they had to find a way to stop it. She wouldn't allow Leo to die. Her pain in the butt brother couldn't leave her.

_Thirteen year old Leo was lounging in a different bedroom. _

"This came after Layla." Leo stated before anyone could ask.

_Another boy of his age was pacing up and down, distraught._

"_Calm down, Alvin. So they made fun of you for not having a girl friend, so what. it could be worse." Alvin flinched, and Leo's eyes narrowed._

"_I kind of, sort of, said that I do have a girlfriend at that they just haven't met her because she's new to town."_

"_WHAT!" Leo sat up straighter as his friend groaned in humiliation._

"_I told them that I had a girlfriend so that they'd all shut up, but now they want to meet her, and none of the girls will pretend for me. I'm going to be a laughing stock." Leo sighed as his friend buried his head in his palms._

"_I'll do it." Alvin's head snapped towards Leo, who walked towards his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder._

"_To escape one of my old foster homes I had to dress up as a girl. And none of those bullies will recognise me, and they will never have to meet me as I'm being sent to a different school, so I'll do it." Alvin hugged him, professing gratitude over and over again._

"_Just remember that you owe me."_

_The video skipped ahead to the "date"._

_Leo once again had curly extensions to lengthen his hair, though this time they reached mid-back _(Piper assumed that he had lent them from a girl in the home and gotten her to do his hair and make-up).

_His lips were again coated in red lipstick, with a warm orange eye shadow decorating his eyelids. The fire colours perfectly accentuated Leo's tanned skin. He was wearing another knee length dress, but it was pale orange this time and it had a pastel yellow belt and straps. It was more of a sun-dress. Tiny yellow kitten heels rested on his feet, and he was blushing exactly like a girl on her first date would._

Cue snickering.

_Alvin stood next to him, their hands loosely entwined. Leo leaned over menacingly. _

"_You really owe me." Alvin gulped, and Leo's glare morphed into a shy smile as a group of tough looking boys made their way over to the duo._

_One wolf whistled and Leo's blush deepened. _

"_How did someone like you land a girl like that, Alvin?" The wolf whistler stepped forwards, taking Leo's free hand and kissing it princess style, revealing that Leo's nails had been painted with little flame patterns._

"Okay,yuck to the hand kissing, but your nails are so cute." Piper couldn't help admiring the skilful paintwork.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me not to chip those things." Leo grumbled.

"_And what's your name, beautiful?" The boy released Leo's hand, but he remained way too close for comfort. Alvin pulled Leo back slightly, frowning._

"_My name is Lea." Leo altered his voice, making it a higher pitch. The group of boys grinned lecherously._

"I hate it when boys look at girls like that." Piper declared, and Annabeth and Hazel nodded. All of the boys looked furious at the lack of respect that some boys had shown their girlfriend (or in Leo's case, honorary siblings).

"_Are you really Alvin's girlfriend, because a pretty little thing like you doesn't really belong with him. Are you sure that you aren't just pretending because you felt sorry for him." The leading boy leered._

"_Of course not!" Leo proclaimed heatedly. _

"_Then prove it. Kiss him." The boy ordered smugly. _

"_We shouldn't have to kiss in front of you." Alvin piped up. The boy turned on him with a mocking grin._

"_So she really isn't your girlfriend. Should've known that a loser like you wouldn't be able to bag a catch like her." Leo's grip on Alvin's hand reached bruising strength as rage flared in his eyes, obviously angry at the boys who were degrading her friend. He span round, letting go of Alvin's hand and gripping his taller friend's shirt. Their lips made contact for a fleeting instant, and then Leo whirled on the gang of boys as Alvin remained stunned beside him. _

_The boys all seemed to be in various degrees of shock._

"_I would thank you to stop taunting my boyfriend." Leo then flounced away, dragging Alvin with him._

_As soon as they were far enough away not to be seen or overheard by the bullies, Leo apologised profusely._

"YOU KISSED HIM!" Piper bellowed, as all of the demigods blinked to try and get to grips with what they had just seen.

"I was sick of seeing him depressed over those idiots, and if I didn't they would have called him a liar and made it ten times worse." He then looked at Jason.

"And besides, it was just a kiss." Piper knew that Leo was insinuating that the kiss that they had shared meant nothing when compared to Jason and Piper's relationship, and she was glad that her boyfriend and her best friend had made up.

The screen flickered on, and it had a message for the demigods.

"There is going to be a series of images now instead of a memory as they all link to the same subject".

Piper's curiosity was piqued a pictures started appearing on the screen.

_Nine year old Leo wrapped around a wrench as he slept in what looked to be a garage._

_Ten year old Leo sleeping on top of a blushing Jadon. _

_Eleven year old Leo snuggled into James' side._

_Thirteen year old Leo balled around his back pack._

_Fourteen year old Leo hugging a statue in a dark park._

_Leo in Bunker nine napping on top of Festus' head, arms loosely draped around the dragon._

_And finally, a modern Leo on the Argo, gripping his toolbelt._

Piper cackled.

"Do you always hug things in your sleep." Leo's ears lit up with tiny flames as he nodded sullenly.

The demigods all laughed heartily.

And then Piper had to spoil her own joy. Maybe Leo hugged things in his sleep because he was scared that they would be wrenched away when he woke up. That if he let go of the things he cared about, they'd be ripped away like everything else. Piper teared up at the thought, but she brushed away the tears.

Leo would be safe with them. They were all his older siblings (except for Hazel) and they would take responsibility for him. Leo would be allowed to sleep easily, because they would have his back. They would be there to watch over him.

* * *

I'm sorry this is so late, I'm really stressed over my exams. And if there are any ideas that you really want to see, you only have a short amount of time to get them to me. See you all next time.


	28. Chapter 28

Thank you to everyone for being patient, I've finished my exams so hopefully I'll be able to update more regularly. And, warning for this chapter. There will be another suicidal memory so please look out for the warnings on that. Thanks to everyone who faved and followed.

IraTamashi99AmyliaZanpakuto : Teehee, my demigod power must be manipulating people's emotions.

Awesomesauce90 : Thank you, especially for your patience :)

Kittehx1 : Especially if you are an ADHD demigod with awesome powers.

Sidda : Awesome, and I'll try and fit that idea in next chapter for you. And I love the Imp within.

The Steaming Cactus : Then I might have to change around my ideas a little.

Guest : Nope, it wasn't. And I liked Age of Ultron, but not as much as The Avengers.

Bris38 : You're lucky, because that was who's P.O.V that I was planning to do this chapter.

Bearah cubecars : Lea's a sweetie ;)

FlamingLeoValdez : Thank you so much, I'm glad that you think my story's the best.

Catsrawesome : I wish that Leo was my friend as well. And it won't be Frank ;)

Our Mismatched Socks : Thanks, and It's not easy but you all take the time to review so I think that you deserve a reply.

Melancholy's Sunshine : I'm happy that you enjoyed the fluff, and if you truly want me to put that in, then I'm sure that it can make it into the sequel.

FracturedSanity419 : Hey Sophie. I'll put that in later. And thanks for the sympathy, and I hope you have luck in your exams.

Kaylee : That will be happening this chapter.

Pacenya347 : Sure I'll put that in for you in chapter 30. And thanks :)

ObsessedwReading : Thank you, and I love your fanfictions as well.

MarissaTodd : Instead of having an epilogue, I'm going to have some sequels and I'm thinking of maybe extending my original idea into a full reunion fic (though Jadon and Leo wouldn't get together, sorry).

Iluvbooks : Thanks, and you will have some more.

Readingaddict24 : I'm glad that you like it, and there will definitely be more angst this chapter.

HoOisawesome : Exams are definitely the worst, so thanks for allowing me to take my time. And Leo is a brilliant friend :)

Mondmaedchen : Ah, sisters can be so cruel. And of course I'll put that in for you.

Willowleaf : Thank you and I agree that exams are worse than writers block as I have so much that I want to write but not enough time to write it. And no matter how it ends, there will be the sequels :)

QueenofLothlorien : I'm happy that you found it touching. And I'll put both ideas into chapter 30 for you.

Neon Wish : Leo's awesome.

MakaylaCO : I'm glad that you like it, but I'm sorry that the kissing made you uncomfortable :(

Connwaer Heap : Thanks, and although my fave in TT is Robin, Leo and Beast Boy are actually very similar characters.

Zoethezany III : Thank you for all of your reviews, and your story is cute. And my story's not over yet, I'm ending on chapter 30. Nice dam reference by the way :)

Alvin6299 : I'm sorry that I'm taking so long.

Willowleaf : Thank you for being one of those wonderful reviewers.

SiddaLIE : Are you by any chance Sidda? And I'll try and put that in for you.

MollyMW : I'm glad you liked it, and I will keep writing. And tell your brain that I'll put it's idea in chapter 29.

FlinxBbraeCaleo : Sure, but it's placement is going to be a little weird.

Lilac : Thank you for wishing me luck and for your kindness towards my wacky update schedule. It's lovely that you aren't just pressuring me into writing faster, and I really appreciate it :)

Ybbilicious : You're very welcome, and I will.

Disclaimer : If Leo was mine then this story would be canon. Anything else recognisable is also not mine.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V

Percy had found that last set of images kind of adorable. He wondered if it was possible for anyone to not find little Leo snuggling up to things in his sleep cute.

Percy then remembered the issue of Leo believing that Percy saw him as an enemy. He turned towards the short Latino. He was about to bring up the issue when he noticed the joy on Leo's face as Jason and Piper teased him gently over his sleeping habits (though Percy noted that Piper's eyes looked a little misty). Percy couldn't bring himself to say anything that might ruin Leo's mood.

_Nine year old Leo was sitting inside a toy car, the kind that you put your feet through and walk around with. _

_Except Leo wasn't using his feet to operate the car. Instead, a tiny engine was helping the car to chug along the street. _

_A man was walking along beside him, ushering a small group of kids along in front of him _(Percy assumed that he was a foster home worker and that he was trying to keep the younger kids safe on the way to school). _Every now and then the man would glance at Leo, and then look away, shaking his head. The other kids were also giving Leo a wide berth._

"I can't believe that you actually motorised a toy car." Percy was watching the screen approvingly, little Leo was awesome as well as adorable. He heard Leo chuckle.

"I told you that I did."

_They eventually reached what seemed to be the school's gates and Leo just drove in calmly. Groups of teachers and students all turned in disbelief as Leo casually steered his miniature car into the bike area and chained it up as if it were a bike. _

_After the bike was secure, Leo sidled over to one of the clusters of children, and stood in front of the teacher that was apparently assigned to his group. _

"_Morning miss." He chirped brightly._

"I can't believe that you just did that. Did you get in trouble at all?" Percy was laughing at the sheer nerve displayed by Leo, he drove a **toy **car to school.

"Nope." Leo grinned goofily as the others laughed.

"_NO! No way." Twelve year old Leo looked beyond petrified, his eyes were as wide as saucers._

"What's going on?" Hazel looked terrified for Leo. Leo looked a strange mix of ashamed and amused.

"You'll see." He stated, ominously.

"_I'm sorry Leo but the decision is final. This is the first time in years in which someone has been allowed to come and interview a group of Amish people. And you have to come with me." The lady speaking was young with light brown hair and muddy brown eyes. _

"You had to stay with an Amish community?" Annabeth inquired. Leo nodded, and Percy whistled.

"How did you of all people make it in a place with next to no technology?" Percy asked, and Leo simply gestured to the telly.

"_Please Bridget!" Leo pleaded further but Bridget remained unmoved. _

_One week later._

_Leo and Bridget were sitting in a traditional Amish buggy _(which Annabeth explained to everyone)._ Bridget looked fascinated by the explanation being provided by the Amish man who was driving their buggy. Leo looked inclined to chuck himself off of the buggy and to flee. _

_They pulled up outside of a traditional Amish settlement, and the guide informed them that someone was going to come and show them around the settlement. Bridget was gazing around, barely constrained excitement visible in her eyes. Leo was staring at the floor as if questioning what he had done to deserve this Tartarus. _

"_No phone. No TV. No computer." His hands were fiddling manically with a piece of paper._

"_Kill me now." He muttered darkly._

"The Amish have a fascinating culture, you should have jumped at a chance to study it." Percy saw the gleam in his girlfriend's eyes, and he knew that she was going through her head reciting facts about the Amish culture to share with the group.

"An ADHD son of Hephaestus stuck with no electronics for two weeks. I was dreading it." Realisation caught in Annabeth's eyes.

"So did you hate it?" Frank broke in.

"They had cool horses." Leo shrugged.

"Seriously, the horses stopped you from going stir crazy?" Jason didn't look convinced, and Leo eventually capitulated.

"There was an incident on the third day." The screen sprang to life at that moment, as if it was just waiting for Leo to mention the incident before showing it.

_Leo and Bridget were arguing, loudly but they were quite far away from the settlement so no one should have been able to hear them. _

"_Can't you be a little more enthusiastic, this is a whole new way of life." Bridget sounded a little fed up, as if this request had been made numerous times in the past. _

"_I didn't even want to come here, remember." Leo growled. Bridget frowned._

"_Can't you just try to broaden your horizons, this is an amazing opportunity for me?" Leo's shoulders hunched over._

"_I can't handle being away from technology." He moaned and Bridget snapped._

"_You know they didn't even have technology a few hundred years ago. I'm sure that you can last two weeks without it." She fumed before flouncing off. Leo trudged after her once she had gotten a decent distance away. _

"_You don't understand..." He intoned quietly._

All of the demigods sympathised with Leo's plight, as demigods they all had unusual quirks. Percy knew that when he was away from water for too long, he could be more irritable than Lord Zeus himself.

_It skipped to Leo sitting in a deserted barn, swaying back and forth on the floor. His hands didn't still for a second. _

"_I just want to build something..." He whispered. Then the barn door creaked open on rusty hinges._

_Leo tensed, his hands slowing down but not stopping their intricate movements around a coloured piece of paper. _

"_Leo?" A voice called, tentatively. Leo sighed and stepped forwards. An older lady stood front of the barns humungous doors, face concerned. _

_Leo walked towards her, shoulders slumped. The lady seemed to scrutinise him for a few moments, before she smiled softly. _

"_Bridget tells me that you used to be a horse rider." Leo nodded._

"_I could use some help with the horses..." She trailed off, and Leo's head whipped up excitedly. _

"_Really? I can help with the horses?" The lady nodded, and Leo's face lit up._

"_You know, Bridget was very upset when she returned." Leo's smile faded as rapidly as it had appeared. _

"_I'll apologise later." He mumbled, shame lacing his tone. The lady nodded approvingly._

"Did she forgive you?" Piper asked.

"After I took part in a few Amish traditions." Leo smiled gently.

"It wasn't all as bad as I thought it would be. Ruth, the lady on screen then, was lovely and she always tried to help me out." His expression was fond as he continued drawing. Percy was bursting with the need to know what exactly Leo was drawing, but he knew that with this it was probably be prudent to be patient. Percy smirked as he used one of Annabeth's favourite words, prudent. Guess the Wise girl really was rubbing of on him.

_The older gang Leo, the one from the drinking video, flickered on screen. He was cornered by a group of three older boys who were all pretty muscular. _

"_You're from Beast's gang, aren't you?" One leant forwards menacingly. _

"His name was Beast. Did you take him for walkies and feed him treats." Percy snickered at the ridiculous name, and the others also cracked up despite the tense atmosphere on screen.

"He only got a treat if he was a good boy." Leo flashed him a cheeky grin, but Percy sobered up at the subtle flash of worry on Leo's face.

"_Maybe." Leo drawled confidently, leaning back against the wall of the empty hall where he was trapped by the bigger boys._

"_Well, you see kid, we don't particularly like Beast, and we'd like you to deliver a message to him for us." He cracked his knuckles as an obvious prelude to the beating about to take place, but Leo's grin grew wider. _

"_If it's about his awful taste in shirts then he already got the memo." The three thugs looked momentarily confused, as if they were asking themselves why this tiny boy was joking around instead of running for his life. _

"_No, we're going to beat you black and blue and then wait till Beats finds you." One of the lackeys spoke up. Leo made a tch noise._

"_Now that was some God awful poetry right there gentlemen. Now, I feel obliged to inform you that I have a had a terrible day today, and that if you lay a finger on me, I will rip you to shreds." The two lackeys mimed being scared whilst the boy in front simply laughed._

"_You sure about that little brat?" Leo's smirk oozed superiority, and the first boy lunged at him. Stupidly though, he had left Leo enough room to manoeuvre. Leo rolled underneath the taller boys legs and then cut them out from under him with one sweep of his leg. The boy toppled forwards and head butted the wall, sliding down it, dazed momentarily. The other two leapt forwards to try and punch Leo who simply grabbed one of their fists and used their momentum against them by launching them into one another. _

_By this point, the first boy was standing back up, snarling at the small Latino who was still wearing a huge smirk._

"_You've just signed your death warrant." _

"_But I don't have a pen." Again the teen threw himself at Leo, who cart wheeled out the way. The others hauled themselves up, and one managed to grab Leo's hands pulling them behind him._

"Oh no." Hazel gasped, as if Leo wasn't safely sitting on the couch with them. To be honest, Percy was also worried for his little bro.

_The lackey that wasn't holding Leo moved in to get Leo with a right hook, but Leo leant back on his captured arms with barely a wince and used that base to kick straight up, catching the boy who was about to hit him in the chin. The boy went down, and Leo smashed his head back into the other lackeys nose. The boy released him with a yelp, just in time for Leo to flip over the leader who was charging him like a bull. Just to add insult to injury, Leo placed his hand on the boy's back and used it to springboard himself even higher in the air. _

_The thug observed the way one of his friends was rolling on the floor, clutching his nose to try to stem the blood flow and the other was crumpled on the floor. His face twisted into a fearsome scowl. However, he apparently wasn't as stupid as he looked as he held up his hands slowly in surrender, moving closer to the side wall defensively._

_Leo spun on his heel and swaggered away, yet just before he reached the doors, the thug whipped out a knife and chucked it at Leo with near deadly aim. _

"DUCK!" Percy screamed at the TV, and Leo gave him a strange look.

"You know that shouting at the screen will do nothing as..."

"Shush." Percy felt heat rise in his cheeks as Leo laughed at him and Annabeth shook her head amusedly.

_Without turning around, Leo flipped away from the knife. He then ran towards the older boy who raised his arms defensively. But instead of tackling the older boy like his movements suggested, Leo instead changed course, running up the wall slightly before kicking off of it, twisting his body and kicking the thug in the face. _

_He joined his comrades on the floor and Leo strolled away. When he reached the doors, he looked over his shoulder and all hints of amusement were wiped from his face._

"_Take that as a warning from me. Don't mess with the beasts because our bite is way worse than our bark."_

"How did you fight them like that? Why have you never used those moves against any of the monsters that we've fought?" Jason sounded as perplexed as Percy felt over the matter.

"Because fighting stupid gang members is very different to fighting monsters. Plus, a lot of those moves depend on certain situations that don't usually occur when monsters are trying to have you as a snack. And during most fights on the Argo, it's usually more important for me to stop the ship from either sinking or falling from the sky. We don't need a Chicken Little re-enactment." Percy smiled at the reference, and then at Annabeth's attempt to explain the film to a befuddled Hazel.

"Yeah, we have a sweet life on the Argo if you ignore the near constant monster attacks. We don't want to mess it up by destroying the ship." Percy smiled but then Leo turned towards him with an almost unholy look on his face.

"So you could say that we have a sweet life on deck." Percy, Frank and Piper all laughed whilst the others all looked confused. Then it was Leo's turn to explain the reference to the kid's show.

After everyone had been brought up to speed, the screen came on, showing Leo in his room on the Argo, tears streaming down his face and his hands balled into fists.

"No, no puedes mostrar esta memoria (no, no you can't show this memory)!" Leo bolted up, and both Percy and Jason tried to bring him back onto the couch.

"I'm sorry Leo, but this is necessary for them to see." Hera's voice was probably the closest to apologetic that it had ever gotten, but Leo remained standing, fiery tendrils swaying around his body.

"Why, haven't they seen enough?" Leo's voice was simultaneously fed up and pleading.

"There are not too many memories to go, be patient young demigod."

"Please can we skip this one, Lady Hera?" Percy was shocked at Leo's use of one of Hera's more formal titles, it really brought the gravity of the situation to light. This memory was one of the crux's to understanding Leo's personality. And therefore, Hera was not going to allow Leo to skip this.

Leo also seemed to draw this conclusions as he plonked himself down between Jason and Percy again. Percy reached out to put his arm around his friend, but Leo shied away. Percy was admittedly hurt, but then Leo looked up at him with saddened eyes.

"There's no point in trying to touch me right now as my temperatures way too hot for you to handle." Percy nodded mournfully, he recognised the logic in Leo's words even if it hurt to not be able to reach out to Leo right now. The same pain was reflected on Jason's face when Percy looked over to the son of Zeus. In fact, all of the demigods held the look to some degree.

The video started up again as Hera obviously decided that they were mentally prepared.

**Warnings : Mentions of suicidal intentions.**

_Leo was now attempting to choke back the sobs, or even just to stifle them, but evidently the attempt was futile as the tears flowed down Leo's cheeks, marking his face with their treacherous descent. _

"_Of course I'll always be the seventh wheel. I'm the most useless member of the team. I can't control my powers properly, I've messed up the most and I basically just endanger everyone on board. "_

Annabeth brow furrowed even more then everyone else's and Percy looked to his girlfriend for explanation. She leaned in.

"I think that Leo's fatal flaw is inferiority." She whispered, and Percy was stunned at how that horrifying conclusion made so much sense. It would explain why Leo always doubted himself and his abilities despite the fact that he was amazing.

Percy felt his own frown deepen, and he turned to watch the video with a new understanding.

_Leo scrubbed his face furiously before standing up and stalking out of his room. He made his way down the quiet hallways, somehow damaging to avoid all of the others. _

_When he reached the deck, their was no trace of tears, no sign of a problem. Percy was watching over the ship. Leo took a steadying breath before walking up to Percy._

"_Hey, I'll take over." He said calmly. Percy gave him an almost suspicious look._

"_Don't you have repairs to do?" Percy's voice sounded judgemental, and Leo flinched almost imperceptibly. _

Everyone except Leo turned towards him.

"I was thinking about camp." Percy admitted before turning towards Leo.

"I didn't mean to sound that harsh, I was just a little out of it. I'm sorry." Leo simply curled up tighter.

"_I've got everything done that I can get done today. Besides, I want to give Festus a little check up, and he prefers check ups at night." Percy's gaze was again suspicious, but finally he shrugged._

"_Whatever dude." Percy left the deck, and Leo stood in the middle of the deck, alone. _

"You believed that excuse!" Piper seemed beyond disbelief at that, and Percy bridled slightly.

"I believe Leo completely when it comes to technical things. At that point, he could have told me that the ship could also turn into a giant rabbit and poop out Easter eggs I would have believed him." Their were a few snorts at his analogy, but Leo (the resident prankster/comedian) didn't even chortle.

_Leo made his way over to the mast, and shinned up it with finesse. He paused briefly at the Crows nest, but then he continued climbing._

A sick feeling welled up in Percy's stomach as he began piecing information together. This couldn't be the night that Leo was going to... going to jump. His eyes instantly locked onto Leo's, and the sick feeling intensified at the swirling cesspit of hurt, anger and shame that was currently hiding in Leo's eyes.

_Leo reached the very top of the mast and pulled himself on top of it, standing on it Assassin's Creed style., one foot on the mast and the other crossed over it. He raised his arms._

Percy heard gulps as the others seemingly caught on to what was happening.

"_I wonder what would happen if I just jumped." Leo's voice and face were perfectly content, almost serene as the wind whistled around him, playing with his hair and making him rock gently back and forth. _

"_They could claim that it was an accident. Poor little clumsy Leo fell over the side of the ship and met his watery doom." His tone over the words "poor little clumsy Leo" was jaded and dark. _

_He tipped forwards slightly _(causing numerous gasps and cries from the seven)_, but caught himself at last minute. He laughed freely, all hints of his previous bitterness expelled by the wind and the height. _

_He jumped, hovering for a moment or two._

Everyone (minus Leo) screamed fearfully.

_Before pulling of a flawless front flip and landing on the pillar (if a tad shakily)._

_He clambered down to the crows nest, and buried his head in his palms and chuckling hysterically._

"_Oh Gods I'm so screwed." _

Leo was crying softly of screen and Percy decided to throw caution to the wind, and just hugged the smaller boy.

"If you jumped then I would be taking a nice trip to the Underworld to force Hades into giving you back. And I wouldn't leave without you."

* * *

So, once again I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter but thank you all for being so patient. See you all in chapter 29.


	29. Chapter 29

Hello again everybody, I am in a great mood as I got back from comic Con a few days ago, so this chapter should be quite long. And also because of 600 REVIEWS. Wow, thank you so much for all of the support that you guys have been showing me. It really brightens my day when I read your lovely reviews. Some racist views will be expressed in this chapter, however I do not believe any of them, some people have requested a memory in which Leo experiences racism. Also, please excuse the Bieber joke, it is just that, a joke. Thanks for all of the faves and follows.

Iluvbooks : I'm sorry that I took so long.

Bearah cubecars : Don't worry, he'll (probably) be alright ;)

IraTamashi99AmyliaZanpakuto : Sorry for driving you insane, but thank you for your review. I don't know how I manage it (most of the time I feel like I'm just smashing the keyboard and hoping for the best). And I'm pretty certain that I'm nowhere near as good as Rick.

Enhisbeautiful : Thank you, and I wanted to make the last line of that chapter really show how far Percy is willing to go for his friends.

MakaylaCO : Thanks, and it's fine. I have two chapters left and then the sequels.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : I would also be very rich... and yup, Leo is a bad ass. I hope that you also have a good week.

Awesomesauce90 : Thanks, and I'm glad that the different emotions were conveyed in that chapter.

Melancholy's Sunshine : I've always thought of Hera as being closer to Leo then she is with the other prophecy seven, after all she did help to raise him and he was mainly responsible for releasing her from the cage. And yes, the sequels will contain a lot of Leo loving.

Bluecookiedough : Thank you.

Guest : I loved that show.

Our Mismatched Socks : Is that good or bad?

Guest : I hope that this is soon enough to keep your soul intact.

Sidda : Teehee, the Sidda kind of gave it away. And your welcome (I hope that you enjoyed your sister's graduation). We are definitely awesome, we're demigods after all.

Flinxbbraecaleo : She's one of my loveliest reviewers :)

Queen of Sarcasm : I'm glad that my story helped you out and good luck for your finals.

Abigaia the Drakoness : Should I be sorry for that, or were they good tears?

Mondmaedchen : You're very welcome, and it is an important part of Leo so I suppose that they couldn't really learn about Leo without learning his fatal flaw.

Zoethezany III : I'm not sure if that's a good O.o or a bad O.o.

Greenwatermonk3y : I hope that my story could help to cleanse your mind after that experience.

AC : I will :)

The Steaming Cactus : Thanks, I love the Assassin's Creed games and couldn't help sneaking in a reference.

Bris38 : I wouldn't put it past a truly determined Percy Jackson.

Bullkitty51 : Yep, this and chapter 30. I then will be writing two sequels. And thank you :)

Iluvbooks : Thank you so much, considering all of the brilliant fics out there, I'm honoured that you consider mine to be one of the best.

Catsrawesome : Thanks, I wanted Percy to realise the full effects that his actions had had on Leo.

AmaebLEO : It's fine, please don't feel pressured to review, your exams are more important )good luck with them by the way). And I'll put the first idea in this chapter but for the second, will you be okay if it hurts his hand or his foot instead (I don't feel comfortable writing about a you know what, childish I know but that's the way I am).

Killua minamoto : Thanks, and I appreciate al reviews no matter how small, but even so, please don't feel as if you have to constantly review, if you don't have the time to review then I understand.

Guest : Thanks, and I was planning on putting that scene in next chapter anyway :)

Willowleaf : Hey, at least he admits to his insanity :) and he is my favourite no matter what.

HoOisawesome : Thank you, and I'll put that in this chapter for you :)

Leo is ma BAE : It's a good name, and thank you for your review. Lea will make a comeback next chapter, and I think that I understand you.

Piper Mclean : Ah, Piper, I'm sorry that you had to find out this way...

Guest : Nope, it's fine and I'll put it in this chapter.

Connwaer Heap : That is a coincidence :)

Darkstar420 : Wow, thank you, but please don't bow to me, you'll make me blush. And I hope that the crying has been worth it.

Kaylee : I think that by now they've all caught on to Leo's fatal flaw but as it ties in with the last memory from last chapter then there has to be a discussion on it, sorry. All of your ideas will crop up in either this chapter or the next so thank you for them (and for the compliment).

Cats : That will be in next chapter for you, so thanks.

FracturedSanity419 : I think that I'm crueller than you (and this story can be used as evidence). Sure I'll put those in for you next chapter. And I'm sorry but I don't have a Wattpad account, I'm not really sure what it is :(

Lady Sarcastic : That can be arranged for next chapter, and thank you.

Bullkitty51 : I'll put that in next chapter :)

ObsessedwReading : Thank you, and I think that Leo and Nico definitely have the most tragic pasts on the Argo.

Disclaimer : If only I owned everything in this fic. Also, one of the memories is based on a scene from the Incredibles so I don't own all of that either, and I have altered it slightly.

* * *

Jason's P.O.V

Jason immediately followed Percy's example, enveloping the younger boy in his arms and ignoring the twinge of pain that came from hugging a human furnace.

"I would be right next to Percy, and no one would be able to get in my way." Jason spoke with complete and utter conviction. Leo sniffled, and Piper leaned forwards.

"Please never, ever attempt something like that again." She pleaded, and Leo stiffened.

"I already said that I wouldn't." He sounded a little vexed, and Jason backed of slightly to try and assess what was going on.

"It's not that we doubt your promise, it just hurts to see that you were in so much pain and that none of us even noticed." Leo's eyes turned cold, and Jason freaked out, wondering what he could have said wrong.

"It doesn't matter. And Percy, Hazel and Frank had no real obligation at that point to worry about my mental health." This was stated in a very matter of fact way, and it chilled Jason to hear Leo say something like that.

"You're one of the seven, of course we're obligated to care about you." Annabeth stuttered, and Jason and Percy had to throw themselves off of the couch once again to avoid the heat emanating from Leo.

"So you just see me as an obligation. Is that all that matters to you Annabeth, the fact that I'm part of the quest, part of the seven?" Annabeth hurriedly started to try to fix her mistake, and Jason observed Leo diligently. And then he caught it.

A spark of fear in the swirling depths of Leo's eyes. Fear that the seven really did only care about him because he was part of the quest. Fear that Leo was expressing through anger, because Leo didn't want to show them weakness. And Jason wouldn't stand for it.

"What Annabeth meant to say was that you are part of family, and therefore we both want to take care of you and are obligated to take care of you." Leo's eyes fixed onto his and Jason was terrified to find that the fear in them had doubled. And then it clicked.

Maybe Leo was afraid of both rejection and of acceptance. After all, his fatal flaw seemed to be inferiority and that would mean that Leo probably feared not being worthy of being with his friends whilst also fearing that that was what his friends thought.

As Jason tried to gather his thoughts together, around him an argument raged. They were all trying to convince Leo that he belonged with them and that they cared about him, whilst Leo was vehemently denying being upset despite the damning evidence of his tears.

"Leo." Jason's voice silenced the room, and all of the demigods turned towards him, even Leo.

"You are a part of our family because we care about you. We don't expect anything from you and we don't want you to think that we only care about your ability on this quest. But we do value your contribution, and I don't think that we've said that enough." Leo's eyes watered, and he flung himself at Jason, hugging the older boy desperately.

"I don't want you getting hurt because of me." Leo's voice was heartfelt and Jason was touched and yet worried at the same time.

"Were demigods buddy, we can't really avoid getting hurt sometimes. And when we do it won't be your fault." Percy's voice was soothing, but Leo's body shook harder.

"Everyone thinks that they will be different. That they will be the house that I don't screw up. They've all been wrong."

"They've all been right." Leo pulled back from Jason, offended at that remark, and Jason scrambled to explain himself.

"I mean that you haven't screwed up every house. A lot of outside factors affect a household, and any one of them could be the reason why you've felt the need to leave. But it's not always been solely your fault. You can't take everything onto your shoulders."

"Lots of different things have culminated in your need for leaving in the past, but you can't shoulder all of the blame, Leo. You'll destroy yourself with guilt. And none of us could bear to see that." Piper chimed in. Leo buried his head deeper into Jason's shoulder.

"Dude, holding everything on your shoulders isn't fun, literally or figuratively. But the burden can be eased through sharing." Jason marvelled at how wise Percy sounded but Leo just continued his attempt to tunnel through Jason's shoulder.

"Please Leo, we want you to trust us." Hazel begged, and Frank placed his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder before adding his piece.

"We know that you find it hard to settle in one place. But we all want you to settle with us."

"We need you with us, not just because your part of the seven but also because you are our little brother." Annabeth's tone was solemn. Jason slowly extracted Leo's face from his shoulder (he was pretty certain that he was going to have an imprint of the Latino's face in his shoulder blade from the force of Leo's hug). The boy's shimmering chocolate eyes looked into his, and Jason smiled before ruffling Leo's hair.

"Come on, we still have some videos left to watch." Leo nodded shakily and slid onto the couch so that he was no longer sprawled on top of Jason. They remained sitting like that for a while, everyone digesting what had just occurred and praying that they had gotten through to the fiery demigod.

Eventually, Leo smiled at them and muttered thank you. The memory started before they could say any more on the subject.

_Teen gang Leo was sitting nervously in a dirty house surrounded by the other members from the drinking video. _

"_Come on Leo, you want to be a member of the beasts right? You were practically born for it, your name means lion." Leo appeared to still be unsure when the boy who had forced him into drinking stepped forwards._

"_Don't you want to be a part of my crew? Remember, if you aren't with us then you're against us." Leo gulped, and then he nodded. _

"_Fine, but my foster parents will freak if they find out about this so it will have to be somewhere unnoticeable." A girl who also looked older than Leo stepped forwards, blowing a bubble with some gum._

"_Foot okay?" She asked after popping the bubble. Leo tipped his head to one side, resigned._

"_You know that this will hurt like hell to walk on?" _

"_Better than being booted out of the house."_

_He removed his shoe and sock from his left foot and propped it up on a stool that was placed in front of him. The girl knelt in front of him an pulled out a tattoo gun._

"WHAT?" Annabeth spluttered.

"No comment." Leo's expression was awkward.

_She put the tattoo gun down next to her and started tracing a pre-made design onto his foot. After she was satisfied with the placement, she swiftly got to work with the tattoo gun. Leo's face remained stony as the ink was tattooed onto his skin._

_The screen flashed the words "an hour later"._

_The tattoo artist whipped out a camera, still chewing away on her gum and snapped a few pictures of Leo's foot, handed the camera to him and then sat back calmly._

_The screen zoomed in on Leo's foot instead of the phone screen, revealing a beautiful tattoo of a pouncing lion with the words "The Beasts are loose" underneath it. The lion itself was beige with a brilliant fire-red mane that faded to orange at the tips with_ _small sparks dancing off of the tips in gold. The words were all green, but done in such a way that they looked to be glowing. The lion also had gold jewel like decorations on its face. _

_Leo gasped._

"_At least it looks good." He gaped at the phone. _

"You got a tattoo!" Annabeth sounded outraged, and Leo rolled his eyes.

"So did Frank, Percy, Hazel and Jason. You aren't chewing them out for it." His tone was petulant, and Jason had to agree with him. If Leo hadn't got that tattoo then the Beasts probably would have torn him apart. And the Roman demigods (and Percy) all had tattoos to prove their allegiance. Sure, Jason disapproved of the situation, but Leo could have done worse things to his body. Leo had done worse things to his body, and Jason was willing to accept a tattoo as the lesser of two evils.

"Is it still there?" Frank inquired. Leo snorted.

"Tattoos do happen to be permanent, cat boy. Granted, it has faded a lot since then. I didn't exactly go to get touch ups." Frank looked a little annoyed at the mocking undertone, but he seemed to take the comment in his stride.

"How come we've never seen it before." Jason was truly curious about how they could have never noticed this before, especially considering the fact that Leo burnt his clothes off often and had to walk around barefoot. Leo's taunting eyes turned on him.

"I don't think that you spend a lot of time studying the bottom of my foot, and if you do then I'm mightily concerned for both your mental health and for your eyesight." Jason rolled his eyes at the semi sarcastic answer.

"Can we see it?" Piper spoke up, and Leo gave her a curious look before nodding slowly.

He removed his shoe and sock and then hoisted his leg up. The demigods crowded around him to gape at his tattoo.

The colours had indeed faded over time, but that didn't make the image any less impressive. The green had dulled, as had the fiery mane, but this gave the tattoo a more distinguished look. Instead of it's original eye catching appearance, the tattoo was now humble but at the same time elegant. And the design of a lion perfectly suited their Latino brother.

"Wow, you were right about it being pretty." Jason knew that Hazel enjoyed art so it didn't really surprise him that she was the one to say this. Annabeth grudgingly agreed that the design was stunning and the demigods retook their places on the couch.

The next memory slowly started up.

_A baby Leo of about two sat in front of his mother, gurgling happily. Esperanza was cross legged in front of him, holding up a flash card._

"_Triangle." She pronounced slowly, and Leo giggled. She held up the next one._

"_House." Leo mouthed the word, and clapped enthusiastically. Esperanza smiled lovingly._

"_Camp fire." She intoned, producing the next card. Leo studied the tiny camp fire picture for a moment, before smiling sweetly and promptly bursting into flames. Esperanza freaked out as Leo almost set the carpet on fire, but luckily Leo put himself out a few moments after setting himself alight. _

"_Camp fire." He spoke proudly._

"You sound so proud of yourself." Percy snickered, and Annabeth punched him on the arm. Jason smiled as Annabeth berated Percy about how Leo's mom had probably been terrified.

"Don't worry, she was more scared that I was going to cinder the carpet. She knew what I was capable of at that point, and although she wanted me to be more careful, she knew that I wouldn't hurt myself."

"That was kind of funny." Hazel giggled slightly. Leo sent her a huge grin, and Jason casually draped his arm over his friend's shoulders. He was relieved that Leo's temperature seemed around average for the mechanic, that is to say feverish for any normal person.

"I did look really pleased with myself." Leo capitulated. Then the next memory began.

_Third grade Leo sat in front of a computer, swinging his legs cheerfully. Clearly this was third grade Leo before his mom's death. _

_Some sort of maths game was playing and Leo was excitedly running through it. But the math looked incredibly advanced, and Leo was solving it like it was child's play. _

"I can't even do some of that now!" Annabeth looked outraged (Jason wondered if the rumours about all of Athena's children having the fatal flaw of pride were true) at the fact that the child Leo was obviously better at maths than her.

Percy was rubbing her knuckles -to calm or comfort, Jason didn't know- and Leo looked a little guilty.

"That's a pretty amazing skill." Jason wanted to assure Leo that his skills were brilliant and that Annabeth would get over it. Leo shrugged, and apparently Annabeth caught on to how her mood was affecting Leo as she sent him a reassuring smile.

"It is pretty awesome." She said, and Jason wondered how much it had hurt her to swallow back her pride and say that. Though, whatever the cost, it was worth it as Leo smiled radiantly at the praise from the older demigod.

_Leo was chilling next to Alvin outside of a Wal-Mart, an evil grin lighting up his face. _

"_Truth or dare?" The answer was asked in a serous tone, but the devious twinkle in Leo's eyes confirmed that Alvin was screwed either way._

"_Dare?" The way Alvin replied made it sound more like he was asking a question instead of answering it._

"_I dare you to go and do the worm across the aisles." Alvin gulped, and the boys entered the shop. Alvin seemed to be deliberating whether or not this was a good idea, but eventually lay down across the floor. Leo stood a short distance away, devilish snickers occasionally exiting his mouth. _

_Alvin got a few strange looks, but luckily no one called security on the boys. After an impressive worm attempt, Alvin whirled on Leo._

"_Truth or dare?" A challenge was visible in his eyes, which Leo answered with a winning smile._

"_Dare my dear chipmunk." Alvin glared at him, but then he also grinned deviously_

"_I dare you to set up a satanic ritual around a can of monster in the middle of the store." Leo cackled._

"_Challenge accepted." _

_It skipped to Leo sitting in the middle of a pentagram in the centre of the store, holding a can of monster. The pentagram and all of the "demonic" symbols were drawn in red lipstick, and fake candles dotted the points. Leo was humming lowly to himself as shoppers gathered around him. He was facing the floor._

_The screen zoomed in on a small button held in Leo's hand before retreating to it's previous angle. Alvin was standing of to one side, one hand covering his mouth and his expression filled with mirth. The other hand clutched a mini speaker._

_Leo subtly pressed the button, and Justin Bieber's Baby started blaring out of the speaker that Alvin was holding. Leo had obviously placed other speakers in discrete locations as the music surrounded his pentagram. _

"_El Diablo volveré debido a esta musica (The Devil will return due to this music)." Leo chanted six times, before his head whipped up, revealing blood like make-up trailed down his cheeks and staining his lips. _

_Some people laughed, others screamed. The security guard did neither. As the burly guard pushed his way towards him, Leo dropped some money on the floor _(Jason assumed that it was to pay for everything that Leo was including in his stunt) _and bolted, grabbing Alvin as he ran. _

_The boys easily outpaced the guard, and exited the store in a burst of laughter, Leo still clutching his can. _

"_Seriously, what did you say?" Alvin asked as they ran._

"_The truth." _

Everyone was laughing along with the boys, but Jason could tell that Annabeth was holding herself back from commenting on the irresponsibility of the prank. It was even better for them than for Alvin because the screen translated the words for them.

"You really can't resist a challenge, can you?" Frank admonished. Leo winked playfully.

"I might as well go all out. It's more fun like that."

"That's an understatement." Piper leant on his shoulder, and Jason felt a rare sensation of peace despite himself. No monsters attacking, his girlfriend on one side and his best friend on the other and the rest of the seven near to them. It was quite peaceful.

_Motorbike Leo was back in the air, merrily flying over the same trees as in the previous video. _

"Congratulations, you're wearing a shirt this time." Leo glared at Frank.

"Congratulations, you're a real boy this time." Jason stifled his laughter.

_The camera panned down to reveal the same man who had seen Leo flying previously, except this time he was holding a shotgun._

"_Damn hallucinations aren't getting me this time!" He exclaimed before taking aim. A shot rang out, piercing the motorbike in a seemingly innocuous place, but it was obviously a critical area as the bike began falling._

_Leo's face dropped as he tried to keep the bike in the air, but his efforts were in vain and the bike continued to drop._

Jason was aware of a shift as everyone (sans Leo) leant forward in anticipation, trying to deduce what was going to happen to their friend.

_Leo's face then creased in concentration as he removed one hand from the handles and rifled through his pockets for a tool._

Tension rose in the room as Leo began his mid-air repairs.

_Fortunately, Leo was able to slow the bike's descent. Unfortunately, the bike still crash landed onto the same road from whence it had first set off._

_Leo was thrown along the gravel, rolling to a stop as the bike smoked. Nasty road burns were littered his arms and a small one grazed his cheek._

"I don't like that man." Leo pouted, churlishly.

"Why the hell did he shoot you?" Percy raged, and they all seemed at a loss to explain the man's unexpected behaviour.

"Humanity is an odd race." Hazel suggested and they all agreed.

_Thirteen_ _year old Leo was still sobbing next to his grandmother's grave. Footsteps alerted him to someone else's presence, and he looked up, straight into the cold eyes of Aunt Rosa._

_His sobs quietened but he remained on the ground. Decades seemed to pass as the two stared at each other._

"_You couldn't just be content with killing my sister, could you?" Her voice was quiet, brimming with anger, pain and sadness._

"_You had to curse my mother as well." Her words were icy, her eyes boring into the crying boy._

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Well sorry isn't good enough!" Her voice rose only a fraction, but the fury in her words emphasized her point. Leo smiled warily, pain still lacing his features._

"_Well that's all I can offer you." Leo stood up, brushing as much of the dirt off of his legs as he could before saying one last goodbye to his grandmother and walking up to his aunt. The woman flinched, but stood her ground._

"_What?" She asked after a minute or two of this stand off._

"_I have lost everything time and time again, Aunt. So I'm sorry for your losses, but that was my nan and I have also lost my mother so don't you __**dare **__as if I wanted this." Leo started walking away, but then he stopped to utter his last words to his aunt. _

"_You lost a mother and I lost the last family member who actually cared for me. You can return to your husband and sons but I will return to the system or the streets." _

"I'm glad that you stood up to her." Jason hugged Leo gently.

"I was sick of the way she treated me. I loved mi abuela and I couldn't deal with Rosa accusing me of her death.

"Well she deserved a lot worse then that." Percy spat venomously, but Leo shook his head sadly.

"I'll hate her forever for condemning me to the system, but she did loose her sister and her mother. She got worse then she deserved." Jason once again marvelled at Leo's ability to find justice. Here was a lady who basically doomed Leo to a life bouncing through different homes and the street, yet Leo was still willing to try and see her side. His friend was remarkable.

_Six year old Leo was rushing around the workshop, placing colourful streamers and other decorations wherever he could reach. Some of the mechanics were helping him out, whilst some other people were working on the refreshment table. Children raced around helping Leo._

"Our neighbours." Leo clarified before anyone could ask.

"_Right!" Leo called out, and everyone turned towards him. It was adorable how all of these men were obeying Leo's orders._

"_My mom said that she'd be back in an hour so we have exactly five minutes left to hide if she's on time." The men all nodded seriously and Leo flashed them a delighted grin._

"_Okay men, scatter!" At Leo's yell, everyone in the room scrambled into (predetermined) hiding places. Leo sprinted over to the light switch and the room fell dark. Leo also hid himself._

_Keys were heard jangling, and Esperanza came into the room. She flicked on the lights, confusion evident one her face._

"_SURPRISE!" The word rang out and Esperanza jumped. Leo ran up to her, hugging her tightly._

"_Happy birthday!" He shouted enthusiastically. Esperanza appeared shocked as she observed the vibrant colours decorating the workshop and the array of people inside of it. _

"_Did you organise this, mijo?" Leo nodded joyfully. Esperanza kissed him on the head._

"_Gracias." Leo simply grinned wider and lead her over to the table were a glorious cake resided._

"Aww." Piper placed her head on Jason's shoulder as the memory faded out. Jason was overwhelmed at how adorable Leo had been as a child. He had planned a surprise party for his mother at the age of six and somehow conned a load of adults into helping him out.

"How did you organise all of that?" Hazel asked.

"I'm awesome."

"Seriously."

"I asked some people very nicely. Turns out, I'm very charming when I want to be." Hazel must have accepted that explanation as she didn't inquire further.

_Leo was sitting alone at a table outside of the Wilderness school. In the background, a group of teens were laughing and joking around._

"Dylan." Jason hissed in sync with Piper and Leo. The others looked befuddled so Jason filled them in on how the ventus had posed as a popular kid before trying to kill them.

_The group made their way up to Leo, and Dylan sneered at the boy._

"_Eating alone I see. Did no one want to sit with the little freak.?" His tone was vicious, but Leo just stared at him blandly._

"_I know! As you've got nothing better to do, why don't you go and mow my lawn for me? You are a Mexican after all." Leo's fists clenched as the so called popular kids tittered. _

"_Were you too stupid to work the lawn mower again?" Leo retorted, and the other teens instantly went silent, except one who continued laughing for a few moments before catching on to what was occurring and shutting up._

"_Excuse me?" Dylan hovered over Leo menacingly, his voice a hiss._

"_You're excused." Leo sat back on the bench a little, looking up at Dylan squarely. _

"_Now you listen here, runt. I am way better then you, and you should feel lucky that you are even allowed to attend the same school as me!"_

"_I feel honoured." Leo drawled sarcastically. You could literally hear Dylan gnashing his teeth together. _

"_Just leave him Dylan, he isn't worth it." A few of the girls clamoured for Dylan's attention, but he remained staring down at Leo, nostrils flaring. _

_Leo had clearly gotten bored as he was currently fiddling with some coils and springs. Dylan slapped Leo's hand and the small collection of parts fell to the floor. _

"_You'll regret this." Dylan stalked away, his posse following like the sheep they were. _

_Leo calmly picked up the parts and continued tinkering._

"You were so sassy." Percy high-fived Leo who mock bowed.

"I didn't know that Dylan was racist as well as being a monster." Piper bit her lip as she glowered at the screen.

"Lets add that to his list of endearing qualities." Leo smirked and Jason laughed at the thought of Dylan being endearing in any way.

_Twelve year old Leo was walking down a dark quiet road, hands in his pockets as he mooched along dejectedly. _

_Screams shattered the silence of the night, and Leo's head snapped up. He took off towards where the scream had originated. _

_He skidded to a halt as he saw the reason for the screams. _

_A relatively young couple were surrounded by thuggish teens, each holding some form of weapon from crowbar to knife. _

_One of these knives was pressed into the throat of the young man as the lady emptied out her purse, crying softly. Red marks adorned both of their cheeks, they had obviously been punished for screaming. Leo's eyes darkened._

"_Excuse me, gentlemen." Leo called out. The gang turned as one, but the couple remained in their grasp. Masks concealed their faces, but Leo remained undaunted._

"Are you crazy?" Piper screamed and Jason backed her up.

"What in the name of Hades were you doing?" Leo frowned at them.

"Saving people, hunting things. The family business." Jason decided to ignore what was clearly a reference to some TV show in favour of questioning Leo's sanity.

"There were nine of them and only one of you. Did you have any plan at all." Annabeth had her mother hen look on again.

"Yep. Save the couple and don't die."

"That's not a plan." Frank yelled. Leo smiled smugly.

"It worked."

"_What the hell is this brat doing here." One gang member asked, his voice muffled through his mask._

"_I don't know, but the punks seen to much for us to just let him go." Another replied. Leo looked vexed._

"_Don't you know that it's rude to talk about someone as if they aren't there?" Leo tutted._

"_Don't you know that it's foolish to interrupt a mugging?"_

"_Touché." Leo countered good naturedly. _

"Don't just say touché, he's right!" Annabeth scolded. She turned to Percy, who grimaced sheepishly.

"I think that I'd do the same thing." Jason was pretty certain that Annabeth growled after Percy agreed with Leo.

"_Viper, Cobra get him." Two gang members split away from the main group. One wielded a crowbar and the other had a chain wrapped around his fists. Whilst the latter lashed out with his chain, trying to ensnare Leo's legs, the former used the crowbar like a baseball bat in an attempt to knock Leo's head off of his shoulders. _

_Leo managed to weave around both weapons, before he pounced at the crowbar guy. He got in the man's face and slammed a foot into the front of his knee. The man's leg snapped inwards and he went down howling. _

_He spun just in time to jump over the wildly swinging chain. He flipped confidently, grabbing the fallen man's crowbar as he went. The next time the chain was whipped at his feet, Leo rammed the crowbar into the floor between one of it's links and then ran towards the gang member who was clutching the chain in confusion. _

_A quick foot to the head toppled the second man, and Leo stood a fair distance away from the other members. Nine had been reduced to seven in the space of a few minutes, and two members will still grasping the struggling couple. Well, the girl was still struggling, the man had gone limp, a small wound on his temple indicating the cause._

Jason winced in sympathy, his head had been acquainted with many hard objects and he knew that the repercussions stung.

_Leaving five able to fight. Four of the five ran towards Leo after the initial shock of seeing their comrades being taken down by a scrawny runt of a boy. _

_The first to reach Leo was utilising a mallet as a weapon. Leo deftly avoided the first swing of the heavy weapon, but then he almost lost his balance avoiding the next thug who had a knife. _

"_It's never one at a time." He grumbled, before he hooked his foot around mallet guy' leg, causing the taller male to topple to the ground. He blocked another swing from the knife guy, wincing as a third member lunged forwards with a knife, slicing his leg. _

_He back flipped to away to give himself some room to operate but the fourth guy moved in on him, giving him no space to breathe. This one simply unleashed a flurry of punches and Leo was forced onto the defensive as the other three advanced towards him._

"Come on Leo!"

"You can do it!"

"Beat the schist out of them!"

"Coach Hedge would have your head if you lost to those idiots!" They all laughed at that despite the fearful atmosphere.

_Leo managed to successfully block many of the thugs attacks, but some landed and Leo was quite bruised at this point. But then Leo managed to counter attack, throwing some of his own punches. He leapt up to try and kick his opponent, but his foot was caught. _

_Leo instead placed his hands on the floor and used the rest of his momentum to swing his other leg round to nearly crack the older man's jaw._

_Another gang member down, but Leo had no time to celebrate as the other three were right behind their companion, ready to fight. Mallet man raised his weapon and Leo grinned, jumping in front of one of the others. Mallet man swung and Leo leapt out of the way. Mallet man's eyes widened in horror but it was too late for him to alter the trajectory of his weapon. Leo then used this time to strike the hand that was holding the mallet with enough force to make him drop it, disarming the man with a quick jab. _

_One foot securely grounded, Leo forced his other foot into the thugs belly and then fell backwards, using the strength in his legs to flip the thug over. As Leo's back hit the floor, the thug became temporarily airborne before crashing into the second knife wielder. _

_The couple had been chucked to the floor, and Leo sized up his final three opponents as the girl desperately tried to wake up her boyfriend. _

_Energy still seemed to pour into Leo even though he had already taken down six adults. He cracked his knuckles._

_The two who had been keeping the couple hostage moved forwards, both holding wicked knives with serrated edges. _

_Leo crouched, and then jumped up over their heads. Before they could even turn around, Leo had chopped them both in the back of the neck. They stayed down. _

_Leo twirled around to face the final member who was currently attempting to flee with the couple's valuables. Leo sighed, wiping some blood from his nose before walking over to the discarded weapons that his enemies had been using. He pulled the crowbar out of the ground with surprising ease and picked up the chain. The Latino swung it experimentally before it snaked out and bit into the ankle of the retreating coward, bringing him to the ground with a loud thump._

_Leo made his way over to the young woman._

"_Are you alright?" The lady nodded, and Leo tossed her the valuables. The woman slowly produced a mobile phone from within the confines of her sleeve and Leo grinned as the phone revealed that the police were on their way and had indeed been alerted a few minutes after Leo had arrived by the clever young lady._

"That was one of the coolest things that I have ever seen." Jason was completely stunned at Leo's fighting prowess. Truthfully, he had never really considered Leo to be a fighter even with the evidence from that earlier video, but now their was no denying it. Leo was far beyond just extraordinary.

Everyone was enthusing about Leo's brilliant skills.

"I really don't see why you don't try transferring those skills into your fights with monsters." Annabeth casually remarked, and Leo rolled his eyes.

"Fighting monsters is a whole different ball game to fighting common street thugs." Jason face palmed.

"Leo, your fighting was spectacular. Those sort of skills can be used in pretty much any type of fight." Leo blushed, and Jason hoped that meant that Leo understood that Jason was telling the truth.

_A five year old Leo was clinging to his mother's hand. A large sign claimed that they were in Virginia and Esperanza was clearly nervous to be in a different city with her young son. They made their way towards a shopping mall, but suddenly a huge influx of people surged towards them. Leo was separated from his mother, and was carried of wailing into the crowd. _

_Once the rush had quietened down, Leo was left sniffling by himself in front of a dark alley way._

"_Hey kid, are you okay?"_

They all froze at that voice. It was impossible. Annabeth had already said that the odds of Leo meeting any of the demigods were huge, never mind two, but this was really pushing it.

_A seven year old Annabeth stepped out of the shadows, followed by a miniature Thalia and a boy who Jason didn't recognise._

"Luke." Annabeth breathed, and Percy muttered.

_Leo glanced at the small band of children, before shaking his head miserably. _

"_I've lost my mommy." He stared up at the trio with trusting eyes, and you could almost see the three melt with the cuteness. _

"_Where did you lose her sweetie?" The one who Percy and Annabeth had called Luke stepped forwards as Thalia said this, smiling softly at the crying boy._

"_We'll help you find her." At this declaration, Leo cheered up immensely._

"_We were outside a big mall." The trio of runaways silently conferred with each other through a series of looks._

"_Okay, I think that I know where you lost your mommy. Come on." Leo followed the trio cheerfully humming in a jumbled mix of Spanish and English. _

_They reached the mall where Leo had first lost his mom, and sure enough, Esperanza was visible in the distance, talking hurriedly to a police officer._

"_There's my mommy!" Leo declared, before turning to look at the trio who were already walking off._

"_Wait!" He called, darting forwards and grabbing Annabeth's wrist. _

"_Where are you going?" He questioned, lip quivering. Annabeth stared at him sadly._

"_We found your mom so we're not needed any more."_

"_But my mommy has to say thank you." Leo seemed genuinely confused, and Annabeth smiled slightly before leaning down and kissing him on the forehead. _

"_Well you can tell her your welcome for us." She said before she joined the other two and ran off. _

"_But you didn't tell me your names..." Leo gazed at their departing figures for a moment before running towards his distraught mother. _

"Well now you know them." Jason pointed out, and Leo ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you have to defy all odds?" Annabeth asked exasperated.

"Yup."

* * *

So here is the second to last chapter *sob*. And pay attention to the bottom of the final chapter as I'll be putting the information about the sequels there. See you next time.


	30. Chapter 30

And here we are, at the final chapter of Learning about Leo. I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, faved or followed, I really appreciate the support that you all have given me. I have loved writing his story and I can't wait to begin the sequels. There will be some dark moments in this chapter so I'll put warnings in front of anything that I think may be a trigger. I also know that I said my song chapter would be the last of the music, however I have to use a song in this chapter for an idea that I think you'll enjoy. And for anyone who likes Nico, Will or Clarisse, my friend Chromatophobe has began a story called Concerning dragons so make sure to check that out.

Awesomesauce90 : You're welcome and I'm glad to hear that you are thrilled about the sequels.

Bluecookiedough : Thank you, I'm happy to hear that you love it.

IraTamashi99AmyliaZanpakuto : Thanks, and I can't believe that this is the last chapter either :(

Melancholy's Sunshine : Thanks and I'm happy that you're looking forward to the sequels. And thanks for that idea, I'll put it in for you.

Siddalee M : I feel honoured to have you as a reviewer, and you definitely deserve to be called one of my loveliest reviewers. And I can't give you a sneak peek, but at the end of this chapter I will be telling you what the sequels are about. I'm looking forwards to my surprise.

Enhisbeautiful : Thank you, and I love mentioning Jason's habit of getting hit on the head :)

Star-Crossed Rose : As long as I'm credited then it's fine. And I was so happy to slip a Supernatural reference in there.

Kittehx1 : Yep, and he didn't even remember until now :)

Epiphany Aria Grace : Thanks, and I'm sorry if the fight scene was a little unrealistic, I just got so carried away writing it that I kind of went overboard.

Mondmaedchen : Thank you :)

LadybugGirl7068 : I think that I like that version better ;)

Raccoon1113 : Thanks, but I can't do a memory of Calypso as the story's set before Leo meets her.

Catsrawesome : I'M SORRY THAT IT'S ENDING... but I'm happy that it was your favourite chapter.

Gigigirl1908 : That is quite a weird coincide.

FracturedSanity419 : Thank you, and I'll check it out if I get a chance.

Darkest Hour : Someone actually suggested that I do that scene, but I have seen the picture as well. I'm glad that you liked sassy Leo, and I'll put that in for you.

MarissaTodd : Then good luck with writing it (but if you use any of my ideas then please credit me).

Neon Wish Loves Peach Trees : *Sob* And now this is the final chapter.

Guest : Thank you, I'm happy that you like my story.

AmaebLEO : Thanks, and I'll put that in (even though it isn't Leo's memory). I hope that you get to Comic Con sometime, that was my second time and it's a great experience. I saw Iain De Caestecker, Nick Blood, Felicia Day and Willa Holland. I also saw some people in Camp Half Blood/Jupiter shirts!

Guest : Sorry for making you wait.

BlueCookiesCoke : Thank you, and I'm sorry for breaking you heart (if only I could employ Leo to fix it).

Abigaia the Drakoness : As long as they were good tears then that's okay.

Crystal 'Chris' Clyminstin : Thanks, and I'll try.

MiloIce : I can't believe that it's almost over, but I will keep on writing.

Zoethezany III : Thank you.

Iluvbooks : Teehee, I'm glad that you liked it.

Cupcake Gal : I like sequels as well ;) And I'm very happy that you liked it (I found the Bieber joke way too funny).

ObsessedwReading : Thank you :)

Towerlyfangirl : Ah, hearts were made to be destroyed by Leo feels. Thank you for the compliment, it's really nice of you to say that I'm talented.

TeamSolangelo : I feel so sorry for Leo. And, ironically, Nico is my second favourite character.

HoOisawesome : You're welcome, and I'm sad as well. Leo was born to defy all odds I think.

Bullkitty51 : You're welcome, and it's good to hear that you are looking forwards to the sequels.

Sidda : I'm going to reply to all of your reviews here to make it easier, I hope that you don't mind. And I agree that it is really frustrating when people act as if Leo takes nothing serious when he put so much effort into everything during both quests.

Bris38 : In this story he did :) And Luke was such an interesting character...

SolangeloForever : Although it is based on that scene, someone actually asked for that idea.

CaleoForever : An incredibly strange coincidence. And maybe I'll look into that.

Team Solangelo : I know that it's very unlikely, but people requested all three of those scenes. And I think that it's actually kind of plausible, after all Leo was pretty much the pivotal member of the quest. Hera spent a great deal of time/energy raising him to be a hero and all of the prophecy's lines can be applied to him pretty much.

Guest : I know, it's so upsetting that almost no one recognises Leo's true strength/potential. And I really do need to hire Leo to fix people after I break them.

Guest : I know that in canon Calypso was Leo's first kiss however I thought that was a little unrealistic for a flirt like Leo who met numerous people during his childhood. And this story is set before Leo's met Calypso.

Piper Mclean : I'm sorry Piper but you had to find out sometime.

TeamLeo'sVeryOwnFlinxShipper : Do you need Percy to cool you feels down? And I don't like Bieber either (hence the joke at his expanse. And we all know that Leo is a bad-ass.

Fantasiedreamar : Thanks, and I'm glad that I made you laugh.

Our Mismatched Socks : I am looking forwards to that sappy review :)

MakaylaCO : Thank you (I'm obsessed with Leo as well). And I'm sad that ths is the last chapter as well.

Sid : Ah, that would have been a good song for Leo.

Leo is ma BAE : You're all such lovely reviewers :)

Willowleaf : I'll try not to make you cry... too much ;)

Disclaimer : I wish that I could claim half of the stuff that I reference as my own but I can't, not even the quote from The Princess Bride.

* * *

Leo's P.O.V

Leo wasn't sure what to think of Hera at this point. Sure, some of the memories had been fun to share, but others had been sheer torture to let his friends watch. Though it was nice to be surrounded by his friends, he had to give his Tia some credit on that scale.

He just prayed that the next memory would be as good as that previous one had been.

_Leo was again curled up in his Argo bed, face scrunched in sadness or in anger. He tossed and turned for a few minutes but then the screen started playing his dream. _

"_Young demigod, surely by now you have realised that it is fruitless to stand against my armies. Come forth and become my soldier and I will reward you when the Gods fall."_

"_I would have thought that by now you would have realised that I'm not going to betray my friends." _

_Gaia scoffed and she materialised in all of her dirt faced glory._

"_So you still cling to that foolish, misplaced loyalty? Pitiful. Have you not yet realised that they do not care for your presence? That they despise your very nature?"_

"LIES!" Leo jumped as Percy shouted at the screen. Said son of Poseidon was glowering fiercely at the screen as Leo massaged his poor ears.

"Jeez Perce, no need to deafen me." Percy turned towards Leo, and Leo felt a little surprised at the intense emotion on Percy's face.

"Sorry, but we all care for you Leo. We like you as you are." Leo felt his cheeks burn at the older boys words, and he turned his head back to the screen.

"Well I'm glad that you like me the way I am because changing is a pain in the butt."

"_He never takes anything seriously!" _

_"I understand being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Leo always seems to be causing some sort of trouble."_

_"I don't feel very comfortable around his fire. And he always makes me the butt of his jokes, and he flirts with my girlfriend. How would he like it if I made fun of him for the way he always bursts into flames, or that he's stick skinny and short?"_

_"I understand that he isn't Sammy, but it still sort of hurts sometimes to look at him, the doppelgänger of Sammy and have him be... Leo instead."_

_The words echoed and on screen Leo stepped back as if he had been physically struck. _

"_Join me and I will appreciate your talents in a way that your so-called friends never will." Leo hesitated, and a dark look passed over his face as if he was considering the offer. _

"You weren't really considering joining her were you?" Frank's voice quivered slightly, as if he were uneasy about asking such a question, and Leo felt ashamed.

"I didn't ever truly think about joining her, but I did think about leaving."

"But you..." Leo cut Jason off by placing his hand over his friend's mouth.

"Watch the rest before the interrogation." Jason nodded, and Leo wondered how his friend hadn't tried to lick his hand to get free, whenever someone put their hand over Leo's mouth he had to fight the temptation to not gross them into letting him go.

_Suddenly the harsh words stopped replaying, and Gaia looked mildly bemused as different words replaced them._

"_Thanks so much for helping me study for that maths test. I passed it thanks to you!" Piper's distinct voice rang out._

"_Dude, Piper agreed to a date! Thanks for the advice bro, I owe you." This was Jason._

"_Thanks for helping me with the toaster. I rally wanted to try these Pop Tarts that you guys keep raving on about and Percy said that magic plates don't do them justice." Hazel's voice._

"_Sweet move taking out that monster." Percy._

"_This ship really is amazing." Annabeth._

"_Wow you made a living table! That's pretty cool." And finally Frank._

_Gaia looked more annoyed than confused now._

"_I've been trying to think of things to say to you when I finally get to face plant you in person, and I think that I've decided to go with a classic." Leo walked forwards so that he was practically toe to toe with Gaia. _

"_Hello, my name is Leo Valdez. You killed my mother. Prepare to die." This was said in a flawless Spanishj accent. Leo then set his fist on fire and slammed it through the face of the Earth mother._

"Nice, nice!" Percy guffawed and Leo smirked.

"That response was... inconceivable." Annabeth spoke up, and Leo turned towards her in shock.

"Annabeth... has... a... sense... of... humour. Now that is truly inconceivable." Annabeth glared at him.

"I happen to have a love of that film."

"Sure, sure."

_Nine year old Leo glared at a school board furiously. The board announced in large letters that the task for this lesson was to write a poem about a person that you love. His eyes were sad, but he looked to his page and began writing. _

_As time passed, his frown slowly lessened, though he did stop to scribble out words every now and again. _

_Then the teacher announced that some poems would be read out today, and that the rest would be read out the day after. He instantly zeroed in on Leo's panicked face._

"_Valdez, perhaps you would like to start us of?" Leo shook his head rapidly, and the teacher chuckled._

"_Come on Leo, you've been writing intently this lesson and I can't wait to hear what you produced." The teacher sounded slowly, and Leo made his way to the front of the classroom, though he winced with every footstep as if it hurt to move to the front._

_Leo took a huge breath, and the teacher put his thumbs up encouragingly._

"_My mother was a brilliant woman, the sun shone in her eyes_

_And though she had a youthful heart, her mind was clear and wise_

_I never knew my daddy, but my mommy made it up_

_By being really awesome, to this unruly pup_

_And though my mommy's gone now, I know this in my heart_

_She may not be here with me, but she still loved me since the start_

_So I will stop my crying, I'll wipe away my tears_

_Because mommy always promised that she'd protect me from my fears."_

Sniffles were heard from all off the demigods, and Leo felt a little self-conscious.

"That was such a beautiful poem." Hazel wailed and Piper actually started crying properly.

"I bet that your mother would have loved it." Annabeth's words made Leo himself tear up a bit. He hoped that somehow his mother had heard his poem as he wanted her to know how much he appreciated everything that she had done for him. She could have followed Aunt Rosa's advice and put him up for adoption, or just not had him at all, but instead she had kept him and raised him with love. His mother really was a brilliant woman.

"Of course she was a brilliant woman, how else would she have caught the eye of my son." Hera sniffed disdainfully (Leo wondered if his poem had moved Hera to tears and she was just disguising it as a sniff)_._

"How did my parents meet?" Hera sighed.

"Well, even though this isn't a memory of Leo's, I suppose that I can show you."

_A slightly younger Esperanza was working hard in a workshop. Grime and oil coated her body as she wrangled with a large piece of metal. _

_She kept anxiously glancing at the clock._

"_I've got to get this done before tomorrow or I'll lose my job, and I refuse to go crawling to my sister!" She muttered angrily as she attempted to mould the metal into something new. Then, something clearly went wring as she threw the metal down in a huff, stalking over to the corner of the room in a huff._

_Her eyes flitted to a pin board that was hung on the wall. On it, a postcard from Greece was pinned up with images of the Olympians featured on it. Her eyes traced the postcard until they fell upon the grizzled and disfigured of Hephaestus. She ran her hand over his cheek gently, before closing her eyes._

"_My sister would kill me if she knew I was doing this, but please great God of the Forge, let me finish this project in time!" Her plea was heartfelt._

"_You are a truly remarkable woman." Esperanza jumped and span around to face Hephaestus in all of his blemished glory. Yet instead of appearing disgusted, Esperanza merely looked shocked with the smallest tinge of relief shining through her eyes. _

"_He...Hephaestus." She stammered, and the God nodded._

"_I heard your plea, and as you show so much potential as a mechanic, I couldn't ignore your call."_

"Smooth dad. Smooth."

"_So you will help me with my project?" Esperanza's eyes were shining _(Leo wanted to know why his mom hadn't questioned the existence of the Gods yet, was she really so desperate for her project to be complete that she was going to ignore the fact that a supposedly mythical being was standing in front of her?) _but Hephaestus shook his head._

"_Then why are you here if you aren't going to help me?" _

"_Because you have shown such dedication to this art that my interfering would be demeaning to your skill. You need to finish this piece through your own merit, though I will clear your mind and allow your ideas to flow forth." _

"Wow, my dad really knows how to flirt. I wonder if he will teach me his way with the ladies." Leo put as much sarcasm as he could into those words and was rewarded with quite a few snickers.

_Hephaestus waved his hand, and Esperanza's face turned serene. Then she made her way back to her work station, picking up the metal that she had tossed to the floor._

_As she worked diligently, Hephaestus watched with a hint of admiration. When the piece was finished, Esperanza turned to him with a striking smile._

"_Thank you." Hephaestus scratched his cheek awkwardly._

"_I couldn't allow a lady with talents such as yours to give up and possibly lose her job." He turned to leave, and Esperanza's eyes widened._

"_Lord Hephaestus, sir!" She called out, and Hephaestus turned back to face her._

"_Can I call on you again?" She asked bashfully. Hephaestus' eyes widened comically and he shuffled his feet slightly._

"_I suppose that I wouldn't hate coming to your aid again." He grumbled eventually, before disappearing, a layer of red dusting his cheeks. Esperanza giggled._

"_I'll take that as a yes." _

"Remind me never to take dating advice from your father." Percy laughed.

_The screen showed a series of moments were Esperanza would invoke Hephaestus, and he would sit quietly and watch her work. In the later videos, they even worked side by side occasionally._

_It was the end of one such night when Esperanza finally took the plunge._

_Hephaestus was just about to disappear when Esperanza tapped him on the back. He swivelled around, and Esperanza caught his lapel before pulling him for a tender kiss._

"Eww, parents kiss." Leo groaned before being shushed by an irate Piper who now clearly shipped his mom and dad despite the fact that Hephaestus was technically cheating on Piper's mother. Ah, godly relationships, gotta love 'em.

_Hephaestus stared at her stunned, and she smiled in the same impish way that Leo often did._

_The screen again skipped ahead in time. Esperanza stood arms folded over her stomach and tears dripping down her face._

_Hephaestus also looked devastated_

"_But why can't you stay here with me, we could raise our son together."_

"_My father - Zeus would never allow it. He wants us to interfere in the lives of demigods as little as possible, and that means that I cannot be here with you. I'm sorry, but I must be content with watching you from afar. No God can stay with a mortal."_

"_Then why? Why did you start a relationship with me if you knew that you would have to leave me?"_

"_Because you are special! You know what you like to do and you continue doing it no matter what anyone else says. I have loved you from the moment since you looked upon my hideous visage unflinchingly." Esperanza smiled then, sadly and wistfully._

"_I have never once considered you to be ugly. I love you for what is in your heart and I will love our child no matter what they look like. But is there anyway for our child to be safe? Won't the monsters come after him?"_

"_He should be safe until he is around twelve, that is when most demigods first begin attracting monsters. Then, there is a safe place for children of the Gods. It's name is Camp Half-Blood and it is situated in Long Island South, though by that time a satyr will probably have been allocated to guide our child to the camp."_

"_Will they have siblings there?" Hephaestus ran a hand gently along her cheek, the way she had ran her's over the picture._

"_Yes. Gods possess love for many beings, it has been that way since their first creation. I am sorry if this pains you..." Esperanza cut him off._

"_Although I wish that it didn't have to be this way, I understand that as a God you could never fully bind yourself to me. At least they won't be lonely." Hephaestus kissed her gently, before drawing back._

"_I will meet our child one day." Esperanza nodded as Hephaestus disappeared. Then her tears began to flow again._

"_I love you, but how will I raise a child on my own?"_

"That was so tragic yet so beautiful at the same time!" Piper was freaking him out a little with how she was mooning over his parents relationship. But a small part of him still felt angry that Hephaestus had left his mom pregnant, alone and virtually defenceless. Unless he had been the one to hire Hera as his babysitter...

"It was partially due to your father and partly due to your potential. Though my son seemed to disagree with some of my methods."

"Yeah, I wonder why that could be."

"I succeeded in toughening you up." Hera declared haughtily.

"No, you traumatised me. The streets toughened me up." Hera once again sniffed disdainfully after Leo said this.

"Ungrateful child." She muttered as the next memory began.

_Leo and Jazz were chilling with the crowd that had been with them in the cafeteria. They were seated in a circle in a large bedroom, grinning at each other._

"_Okay Leo, your turn to pick a card." Jazz nudged the Latino forwards, and Leo reached out to pluck card from the pile._

"Oh great." Leo grumbled putting his hand over his face.

"What's up?" Jason sounded concerned.

"I remember this. We're playing a game that me and Jazz created together. Everyone writes out a set of eight cards, four of them good things to do and four of them bad things to do. The cards would then be shuffled and every round someone would pick a card and do what it said."

"I'll assume from your reaction that you didn't get a good card." Leo groaned.

_The younger Leo turned over the card. His face dropped as he thrust it at Jazz to read out._

"_Leo must dress up in a cheerleaders outfit and perform a cheer to Gwen Stefani's Hollaback girl." All of the boys burst into laughter._

As did the demigods of screen, Leo really hated his friends sometimes.

"_Where am I even going to find a cheerleader costume?" _

"_My sister has one that she grew out of I'm sure that it will fit you." _

_The video skipped._

_Leo was standing in a black cheerleading skirt with a hot pink band just above the bottom and a matching top that cut off above his navel. The top was sleeveless. Shiny pom poms were clutched in his hands. Leo glared at his friends who were giggling hysterically._

Just like he was doing now.

"_Just be glad that I found shorts that could go under this so that I don't accidentally flash anybody." Leo stated tetchily._

Cue Hazel turning beet red.

_Leo stood in the back garden _(Leo thanked all of he Gods that the garden was huge and that no one else had witnessed his humiliation) _looking very angry._

"**Lea **doesn't look to happy right now." Frank laughed. Leo turned his head towards him, ramping up his dark aura. Frank gulped and shut up so Leo assumed that he had looked pretty intimidating. Good. Perhaps he wouldn't lose all respect after this clip.

"_Just play the damn music." He growled, and Jazz scurried to obey his order. Jazz then went to take his place in the audience, aka sitting in the grass in front of Leo with the others._

"_Uh huh, this my shh. All the girls stomp your feet like this." On "shh", Leo put one finger to his mouth in the universal sign for shush, before throwing both hands out to the side and wiggling his pom poms._

"_Few times I've been around that track so it's not just gonna happen like that. Cause I ain't no hollaback girl, I ain't no hollaback girl." At first, Leo lead himself through a turn with one outstretched pom pom before slamming his foot down. He waved one arm in front of his face, sassily moving his hips with it, before doing the same with the other arm. _

"_Few times I've been around that track so it's not just gonna happen like that. Cause I ain't no hollaback girl, I ain't no hollaback girl." Leo repeated the same motions._

_The CD supplied the line "Ooh, this my shh, this my shh" four times and Leo placed his hands palm down in front of his chest and popped his chest forwards in time with each one, rolling his hips into the motion, each movement perfectly timed to stop with the beat._

_Then the real routine began._

"_I heard that you were talking shh, and you didn't think that I would hear it." Leo put his leg up vertically and used that to turn, slamming his foot down on the word "shh", following through with a jump stomp so that his feet were equally paced. He then dipped forwards with his hand to his ear and swayed across as if trying to listen. _

"_People hear you talking like that getting everybody riled up. Leo jumped up and did teh splits, but turned while doing it. He the threw one hand up in the air (still clenching his pom pom) And bent his front leg at the knee so he was facing his audience side on with his leg bent upwards, his foot hovering near to his thigh._

"_So I'm ready to attack, gonna lead the pack, gonna get a touchdown, gonna take you out. That's right put your pom poms down, getting everybody fired up." Leo's foot again touched the floor as he punched out with one hand before leaping into a one handed cartwheel that ended in a touchdown position. Leo sprang up, Punching both hands out with one hand crossed over the other and his pom poms sparkling. _

_He shook his pom poms before sliding down so that his hands were on the grass. He then lifted his legs so that he was doing an approximation of the splits with his hands still on the floor. He flipped up after the next line, over his pom poms which remained on the ground. _

"_Few times I've been around that track so it's not just gonna happen like that. Cause I ain't no hollaback girl, I ain't no hollaback girl. Few times I've been around that track so it's not just gonna happen like that. Cause I ain't no hollaback girl, I ain't no hollaback girl. " On the first repeat of this verse, Leo carried out the same moves as the other time, minus the pom poms. Then he pulled his arms up in front of his chest, however his elbows remained crooked. he then threw his hands out to the side and performed a back flip, with a twist added in. He landed solidly on his feet, just in time to slide one foot sideways and forwards so he was once again side on to the group. As he did this, his hand made a tight wave motion forwards and then snapped to the side with a finger snap so he was facing forwards. He repeated this for the next line._

_The CD played the line "Ooh, this my shh, this my shh" four times again, with Leo sticking to the same body pop movements._

"_So that's right dude, meet me at the bleachers, no principals, no student teachers. Both of us want to be the winner but there can only be one." Leo threw himself into a front handspring, his foot connecting with the ground on the line "bleachers". He wagged one finger in warning, leaning forward with his other hand resting on his hip. He straightened, throwing the hand that had been on his hip into the air before leaping into an aerial cartwheel that ended with him sideways and holding up his hand with one finger raised._

"_So I'm gonna fight, gonna give it my all, gonna make you fall, gonna sock it to you. That's right, I'm the last one standing and another one bites the dust." The hand that was pointing out turned into a fist which he used to punch the air. He the front flipped and punched the ground before using that hand to cartwheel forwards . The hand then swept behind him dramatically._

_He then repeated the chorus with the same steps. _

"_Let me hear you say this shh is bananas B.A..N.A.N.A.S. This shh is bananas B.A..N.A.N.A.S." Leo's hands went up to his head and he did the universal motion for crazy with both of them. He then performed a series of flips, landing with both hands on his hips._

"_This shh is bananas B.A..N.A.N.A.S. This shh is bananas B.A..N.A.N.A.S." Leo then threw himself into some intense arm movements._

"_Few times I've been around that track so it's not just gonna happen like that. Cause I ain't no hollaback girl, I ain't no hollaback girl. Ooh, this my shh, this my shh. Ooh, this my shh, this my shh. Ooh, this my shh, this my shh. Ooh, this my shh, this my shh." He went through another, more complicated series of flips and ended the routine with one leg held in the air next to his head and his other hand pointing at the boys. _

_They applauded him, looking mystified. Jazz simply snorted. _

"_That was more of a dance routine then a cheer." Leo growled at him._

"So let's make a list of things that Leo is not." Percy was giving him an evil look, and Leo was certain that this was karma for all of the pranks that he had pulled on the seven.

"He isn't tall." Frank was straight in, and Leo hissed.

"Damn Frank, it's lucky that fire doesn't hurt me or that would have burned."

"He isn't tidy." This was Jason, and Leo turned to him.

"Hey, I thought that what happened in the room stayed in the room." Jason smirked at him.

"He isn't normal." Piper said this with a wink, and she ruffled his hair to show that she meant it in a good way, which was how Leo was going to take it.

"He isn't a complete idiot." Annabeth gave him a small smile, and those words really meant a lot coming from someone who was as smart as Annabeth.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that I've lost some pieces along the way." Of course, he couldn't let them all see how much those words got to him. He did send Annabeth her own secretive smile. Apparently she understood as her own grin widened.

"He isn't Sammy." His head snapped towards Hazel, who was staring at him with absolutely no hint of longing for Sammy, for her past. Leo sent a smile her way as well. It would be nice to truly become friends with Hazel Levesque, instead of just being her substitute Sammy. He was sure that his bisabuelo would agree that it was for the best that Hazel and Leo became friends on their own terms, instead of clinging to a remnant of the past.

"And most importantly... Leo ain't no hollaback girl." Percy rounded this off with laughter, and they all joined in, even Leo.

"So now you've dressed as a girl three times. Is there something that you aren't telling us Leo?" Frank's voice was filled with mirth, but Leo couldn't let his friend gain the upper hand in their verbal sparring.

"So a few memories back you admitted that you found me pretty, is there something that **you** aren't telling us Frank?" Frank spluttered in the back ground, but Leo knew that the older demigod would be unable to comeback to that.

When the screen suddenly sprang to life, everyone leapt about a foot into the air as they hadn't expected it to come back on at that moment. As they settled down and tried to stop their hearts from beating out of their chest, the memory began playing.

_Inside of Bunker nine, Leo had fell asleep in a very odd position. He was dangling form the ceiling upside down, wearing a safety harness. It was evident that he had been working on the Argo and that he had fallen asleep like that. _

"Isn't that sort of dangerous?" Piper glanced at him worriedly. He sent her his best devil may care grin.

"Pssht, I'm in a safety harness aren't I?" Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him, and Leo prayed that she wasn't going to commence another lecture on personal safety. The memory took care of that for him.

_As with most of the other sleep memories, the screen began to focus on Leo's dream instead of his corporeal self. _

_However, this dream didn't seem to centre on Leo (or even Gaia), but it instead looked towards... Beckendorf._

Percy stiffened next to him, and he heard Annabeth gasp.

"Beckendorf..." Percy's voice was sad, and Leo understood that Percy probably still blamed his self for the death of Leo's older brother.

"Who's Beckendorf?" Hazel looked to Percy, Annabeth and Leo.

"He was a hero." Annabeth replied.

"He was my older brother, but I never met him." Sadness crossed each face as they all mourned for the loss of a fellow demigod. It hurt, but it was also a common occurrence and the fact sickened Leo. They all were forced to mourn far to often. He swore to himself speechlessly that at the end o this quest, neither camp would be forced to mourn the loss of any of his friends. He would do whatever he needed to in order to keep them safe.

_Festus was advancing on Percy angrily, and Leo watched his dragon friend in surprise. _

_Yet, just before the metal dragon could destroy Percy, Beckendorf leaped onto his back and clung on like a cowboy. _

_Leo's half brother tinkered away in an attempt to fix the mechanical construct. And then it was done, and Beckendorf was smiling down at the now docile creature._

_Dream Leo's face had fallen as he watched his brother work._

"_Great, not only did I ruin Festus' body, I also screwed up one of my brother's greatest achievements. How am I meant to measure up to him as head counsellor? If I can't even keep Festus together, how am I meant to keep our cabin together?"_

_The dream visited a few more of Beckendorf's greatest exploits, including him comforting a crying Nyssa and his sacrifice. _

_Leo sat down and faced the floor as the memories faded away._

"_How can I be anything compared to someone so selfless?" He sobbed after a few minutes._

"Oh, Leo. No one expects you to be just like Beckendorf. They chose you to be head counsellor because they thought that they were up to the task. You are their brother in your own right and you should never feel inadequate because of Beckendorf." Annabeth was giving him a soft look, and Leo felt a warm tingle at how Annabeth had finally stopped treating him like a criminal over the Eidolon incident.

"Thanks Annabeth. But me and Beckendorf actually worked out a few of my issues together." Leo was certain that Percy had just given himself whip lash.

"How?" Leo gave him a forlorn look.

"Watch the dream."

"_Hey." A voice caused Leo to look up in confusion. This confusion trebled when the Latino realised that the speaker was in fact Charles Beckendorf._

"_What?How?Why? But your dead1" Leo's questions were fired of rapidly, and Beckendorf looked momentarily overwhelmed. _

"_And yet I'm here. I'd say in the flesh, but that doesn't really apply here." Leo gaped at him for a moment, before some of his attitude returned. _

"_How about in the plasma?" Beckendorf chuckled at Leo's remark._

"_Actually, that's not entirely accurate either. As I'm, well, inside your head, I don't exactly have any substance right now, plasma or otherwise." _

"_Well that's comforting." Leo still appeared a little spooked, but he gestured to the floor in front of him, giving Beckendorf permission to come and sit with him._

"_It sounded better in my head."_

"_Well as your in my head right now..." _

"_But I am still capable of separate thoughts."_

"_This conversation isn't getting any less weird." The half brothers remained silent for a short stretch of time. _

"_Why are you here anyway, shouldn't you be in Elysium or something?" Leo sounded a little put out, and Beckendorf shifted uncomfortably. _

"_I don't really know how I'm here, but I've been watching over the camp and..."_

"_Wait, your still watching over the camp? I thought that you would have been living it up with your girlfriend."_

"_Oh, I am in Elysium, and I am with Silena, but we both still keep an eye on camp." _

Leo heard a muffled sniffle from Percy's direction, and he placed a hand on his knee to show that he was there for him. Leo knew that Percy had looked up to Beckendorf and that the thought of him still watching over the camp with Silena despite the fact that they had made it to Elysium was equally heart wrenching and uplifting for the Son of Poseidon. Annabeth was in a similar situation, and Piper also looked a little misty eyed at the mention of the deceased sister whom she had never met.

"_We especially like to keep an eye on our siblings and friends, and so we both watched your quest to rescue Lady Hera intently."_

"_Oh," Leo muttered "then you know about what happened to Festus." Beckendorf placed a hand on Leo's shoulder. It was a little amusing to see Leo dwarfed by his older brother._

"_We were both proud during that quest." Leo instantly stared at Beckendorf as if he was a few wires short of a mechanical dragon. _

"_I messed up so many times." _

"_You also saved your friends with your quick thinking may times. You even saved Lady Hera. And now your going to be part of another huge quest which means that you must be pretty, um, amazing."_

_Leo laughed._

"_I'm glad to see that our father was fair and gave you the same level of people skills as the rest of us."_

"_I am just like the rest of you if you ignore the dead part."_

"_Kind of hard to ignore. And I'm nothing like you. Your a real hero, a true son of Hephaestus." Now it was Beckendorf's turn to be puzzled._

"_And so are you." _

"_I'm nothing compared to you." Beckendorf seemed completely shocked by Leo's lack of self esteem. _

"_What do you mean?" Leo turned so that his back was facing Beckendorf, and he began tracing patterns on the floor._

"_I'm just a kid who's good with his hands and can occasionally light himself on fire." Beckendorf's expression softened._

"_And I was just a kid who was good with his hands." Leo whirled on him as if to contradict this statement, but Beckendorf raised a hand to show that he wasn't finished. _

"_Seriously, Leo, why are you building me ups so much in your head when you've already surpassed me?" Leo once again looked to protest and Beckendorf once again shut him up with a raised hand._

"_I know that you will probably not believe me, or at least you wont believe me for a long time, but you are a hero in your own right and an accomplished son of Hephaestus. I mean, just look at your ship! I could have never built something like that. I wish that I could help you out with it." His face turned wistful for a moment as they gazed upon a dream image of the Argo._

"_I wish that you could as well." Leo stated, and honesty filtered into his voice._

"_Anyway, I've got to go now, little brother. Good luck with your quest and please don't tell anyone else about this. I don't want them worrying about me popping into their dreams at a time like this." _

_Leo woke up with a jolt that caused him to swing back and forth in his harness. As he swung, he seemed to contemplate Beckendorf's words._

"_I don't know why you were proud of me last quest, but this time I'll definitely give you a reason to be."_

"I'm sure that he is proud of you." Percy's voice was warm and Leo blushed. He didn't feel like he really deserved the pride of his brother, he'd messed up so much on this quest. But at the same time, it was nice to know that Percy thought that he deserved it.

_Leo was in the training room, carefully aiming jets of fire at the dummies. His face was scrunched in concentration. _

_A familiar laugh rang out , mocking and yet also...sleepy. Leo instantly span round, and his fire was sent in the direction of Gaia's laugh. But Gaia wasn't there, and his flames licked the panelling of the room. In some places he wood caught alight and Leo's face became panicked. _

_And then the image of Gaia was behind him, laughing into his ear._

"_You are a weapon of mass destruction, demigod. Don't forget that." Leo once again caught fire, and even more dread was visible in his eyes as he tried to stop the ship catching on fire. He ran over to the already blazing wood and began patting it down, trying to stop the fire from raging. The only problem was that different parts of Leo kept catching on fire and Leo had to continually pat himself out as well as the wood. _

_Once all the fires had been put out, Leo was left staring at the charred and blackened wood in dismay._

"_I'm going to have to replace that before anyone else sees it." His tone was apprehensive. _

"How did you manage to lose control that badly?" Annabeth's tone was far from accusing, in fact it was more concerned then anything else, but it still lanced Leo's heart. He knew that he had some of the worst control on the Argo, but he had despised his powers for so long and he had loathed to use them so maybe his control wasn't excellent, but he was trying.

"I thought that Gaia was attacking and I freaked out."

"You know that Gaia hasn't risen yet and that she can't attack us physically?" Frank's words tipped Leo over the edge.

"Pero estuve preocupado y Gaia me distrajo. Por eso perdí el control de mi fuego! (But I was worried and Gaia distracted me. That's why I lost control of my fire!)" They all stared at him dumbly, but Leo wasn't finished yet.

"Y no soy el único que ha perdido el control de sus poderes (and I am not the only one who has lost control of his powers.)" He perceived the way they were all peering at him as an insult, that they were all denying what he was saying. And then Jason spoke up.

"Um, Leo. We have no clue what you are saying." Leo replayed his rant in his head and realised that he had spoke entirely in Spanish. He felt mortified, but after letting that out he felt a little calmer.

"So what were you saying?" Piper queried, and Leo became aware of the fact that he was probably going to have to repeat his entire petty rant again.

"It doesn't matter."

"If t didn't matter then you wouldn't have said it." Jason's logic was really unappreciated right now.

"I was saying that Gaia distracted me and that I'm not the only one who's lost control of his powers." The others all looked ashamed as they realised that Leo's words were true.

"I'm sorry." Annabeth sighed, and Leo could feel the mood darkening again.

"You guys really are a pathetic bunch." He stated cheerfully. "Cheer up." Not for the first time since this weird situation had started, his friends all gazed at him as if he were insane.

_Leo was sitting and pouting, his face turned away from the leaders stubbornly. He was covered in small scrapes and bruises, a few of which looked quite nasty. _

"_So instead of just running away from the other gang - the members of which were both older and bigger than you - you chose to fight them! What were you thinking? You could have been killed." Darien's voice was fraught with emotion, and whilst Cedric beside him looked impassive, his shoulders practically thrummed with tension. _

"_But at least I can actually defend myself, what if they had attacked someone like Flora, Angel or even Ellis?" _

"_Yes but now you've antagonised them!" Leo flinched at Cedric's yell, and the camera twisted a little bit to reveal Jadon in the background, holding a little girl in his arms, a girl who looked suspiciously like Darien. _

"_What good would it have done for me to just ran away like a coward?" _

"_It would have helped to avoid a gang war! They want your head for apparently provoking their members and the beating them up."_

"_Bull! They attacked me."_

"_But there's no proof of that!" Cedric roared, causing Leo to jump and stare at him with hurt eyes._

"_There's no proof of that, and now there demanding that we hand you over for a beating or they'll start an all out war. Why didn't you just stop to think?" Leo hung his head. and Cedric clicked his tongue angrily before he and Darien turned to leave. Darien shot the small Latino a worried look on the way, before calling to Jadon to follow them. _

_The little girl made her way over to Leo, retrieving a first aid kit as she did so. She began tending to his scrapes with care that belied her young age. _

_Leo's head lifted, and he stared at the child with hollow eyes. _

"_Hee, why is it that you or Jadon are al ways looking after me Aura?" The child, now named as Aura, fixed him with a no nonsense stare. _

"_Because we love you." She declared calmly, as if that was a well known fact. _

Leo remembered that he needed to add Aura to his drawing, and commenced the epic drawing again, whilst silently begging Hera to not show what happened after this, after he left the gang.

"_I love you too. You, your brother, Cedric, Jadon and everybody else. I love you all." Aura pulled back from where she was sticking a plaster (one of the Hello Kitty variety) on Leo's knee._

"_You're going to do something stupid aren't you?" Her voice was way to mature for a child of her age and it held a growing sense of alarm._

"_You know me so well." Aura looked at him, taking no comfort from the fact that Leo didn't deny her statement. She knelt in front of Leo, judging him silently until Leo finally cracked under the pressure of the child's intense stare._

"_I'm leaving the gang." _

"_What!" Aura shrieked, her tone shrill. Leo swiftly hushed her._

"_I've caused too much trouble and It's time for me to leave." Leo was obviously aiming for a placating tone. Aura didn't buy it._

"_You can't. I wont let you. I'll... I'll tell Darien and he'll stop you." _

"_I've made my mind up Aura. I'm leaving no matter what. I'm sorry but I have to. Will you do me a favour though? Please?" Aura shook her head, body shaking with sobs. Leo drew her into a hug, and she clung to him._

"_Is there nothing that I can do to get you to stay?" She whimpered. _

"_I'm sorry." Her sobs intensified, however she soon regained her composure, an impressive feat for someone so young. _

"_Then what do you need?" Her tone was subdued, but it was clear that she was giving Leo her permission to leave, albeit reluctant permission. _

"_I want you to hand this letter to Cedric or Diggory, right? I wrote it when I got back from the fight, when I knew that I had to leave and it should explain everything to them, as well as it being my goodbye to them. Tomorrow I'm going to pack and then I'm going to tell Jadon that I'm leaving. Could you give this letter to them the day afterwards, and say that I hid it somewhere in your room." The child nodded, agreeing to help Leo yet her eyes still shone with unshed tears._

"_I'll miss you, Leo." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Leo's forehead. Leo hugged her close._

"_And I'll miss you and all of the others." The scene ended with Leo still consoling his little friend._

"And that's why you decided to leave the gang. The memory were you told Jadon was the day after that.." Leo confirmed Piper's theory, inwardly relieved that Hera wasn't showing what happened after he left the gang. Of course, he was a poster boy for irony as just after he thought this, the screen showed the words "Two days later." Leo knew that this was going to be bad.

_Leo stood in front of a group of boys who were eyeing him up as if he were scum, as f he was no better then dirt. _

"You didn't hand yourself over!" Annabeth's sounded outraged, and Leo winced. Yep, this was going to be bad. He hoped that he'd be able to play this one of.

"Well, yeah, I couldn't let them take on my old gang because of my mess."

"How did you know that they wouldn't just beat the crap out of you before turning against the gang anyway?" Frank was definitely distressed, and Leo was certain that it was only going to get worse as the video played out.

"They took promises very seriously. If I could gain their word that they wouldn't harm my friends then I knew that I could trust it."

_The leader, a girl dressed in very gothic clothes, stepped forwards. _

"_So you're the child who beat up some of my men. Interesting. You look as if you couldn't beat a teddy bear." Leo winked cheerily, as if unaware of the danger this girl represented._

"_It's those stuffed paws that get me every time, they really pack a punch." The girl snorted in amusement, before walking over to Leo._

"_I didn't think that I would be seeing your face in my territory, not voluntarily at least." Leo looked her straight in the eye, and cut to the chase immediately. _

"_I heard that you are someone who values promises immensely. I wish for you to give me your word that you and your gang will not touch the gang that I was previously affiliated with." The girl's smile took a cruel turn at these words._

"_And what, pray tell, makes you think that I will give you my word on that subject?"_

"_I offer myself as payment for this promise. I will submit to any form of vengeance that you wish to exact upon me for injuring your men, as long as you promise to leave the gang alone."_

_The smile turned predatory._

"_Very well. If you submit to our punishment then you have my word that we will leave your gang alone." _

"They could have murdered you!" Jason was clearly displeased with Leo's decision, and Leo rolled his eyes.

"No they weren't. If they murdered me then they'd have to deal with the police and no gang wants that." Apparently no one found that explanation satisfactory, but the memory played across any arguments that they could have put forth.

**Warning : Memory contains violence but nothing too graphic.**

_The leader gestured two of her men forwards. _

"_Remove his belt and use it to bind his wrists." She ordered and the men followed the order roughly yanking the belt out of Leo's pants and looping it around his wrists. Leo shifted, uncomfortable with having his hands restrained and evidently not relishing the vulnerability, but he needed to allow the them to beat him as much as they liked or his former gang were in danger._

"Is that why you prefer suspenders to a belt?" Piper already seemed unnerved and the memory hadn't even properly started yet.

"Belt's are easier to use as a method of restraint." He replied and he watched the expressions of disgust, worry and fear that played out on his friend's faces. Sometimes they really were too easy to read.

"_Punish him, but not too harshly. I respect his courage." The leader then left Leo to the mercy of her subordinates. The boy looked at each other and shrugged. _

"_No hard feelings kid, it's just that if you mess with our gang, even douchebags like the guys you beat up, then your going to have to expect some retaliation." Loe grimaced bitterly as a foot landed in his gut._

"_Please excuse me if I harbour some hard feelings." He panted after receiving a fist to the ribs. His hands had been bound in front of him, they obviously held him to his promise of no resistance, and Leo was forced to lean his weight into them as the bigger boys started on his back. Yet his weaker wrist obviously couldn't take the strain, and it gave out which lead to him falling to the floor face first. _

_He was yanked up by the boy who had yet to speak and the beating continued. _

_Fists and feet flew and Leo was left helpless in a storm of pain, grunting and occasionally moaning from some particularly vicious hits. _

_And then it was all over, and the boys were picking him up, dusting him of and removing his restraint. They handed the belt back to him, but his hands were shaking to much to put it back on. They eyed him with something akin to pity, and one of the boys pried the belt out of his hands and laced it through the loops of Leo's pants. _

_Leo was visibly shaken, and the pity in the older boy's expressions morphed into regret. As Leo staggered away, thoroughly punished, the previously silent one leant towards his companion._

"_Did we got to far?" _

"_I don't know. The kid seemed strong. He didn't deserve that in anyway, but it was the leader's orders."_

**Memory over**

They all seemed to be in a state of sever shock as they just glanced at the screen.

"Did..."

"They..."

"Go...

"Too..."

"Far?"

"I would have thought that was obvious!" Jason yelled, frustration spiking in his face and tone.

"They had to follow their leader's orders." The glares that Leo received for his neutral assessment of the situation were truly terrifying.

"They beat a little kid up. There's no excuse for that." Percy's voice bordered on dangerous, but Leo still had to protest.

"I had beat up some of their members."

"Members who had attacked you first and who even they saw as douchebags!" At any other time, in any other situation, Hazel saying the word douchebag would have been hilarious, but all of the demigods were to riled up to acknowledge the humour.

"I know, and I didn't exactly enjoy the experience, but that's how the streets work. If I hadn't taken that beating then, innocent people would have been hurt due to me. And I couldn't allow that."

"Why are you so self sacrificing?" Jason sounded so perturbed, and a dark under current ran through his words. He was looking down so that his eyes were covered by his shock of blond hair. Then, he looked up, and his eyes were so tortured that the breath was stolen from Leo's lungs. All of his witty retorts and joke replies disappeared at the sight of his best friend looking as if everything he cared about was about to be ripped out from underneath him.

"Because I'd rather sacrifice myself then lose anyone else ever again." The raw honesty burnt his throat, he wasn't used to revealing so much about himself, but Jason's pain warranted this truthfulness, this admittance. He couldn't leave his friends in pain.

"Don't you know that we feel the same way as you?" Percy's voice reflected the sheer agony in Jason's eyes, and Leo turned to him.

"Then you understand my sentiments."

"That doesn't mean that we have to like it." Piper stated lowly, and Leo once again turned to observe the pain on one of his friend's faces.

"Well I don't like the thought of one of you sacrificing yourself for me, so if you can honestly promise me that none of you will sacrifice yourselves for me, then I wont sacrifice my self for any of you." The room remained silent, and Leo celebrated mentally. Although he hadn't told his friends everything and although he was an experienced liar, he didn't enjoy betraying his friends trust and he was sure that crossing his fingers behind his back while making that promise would have constituted as lying.

"Well with that all cleared up." Leo watched the screen pointedly, and Hera complied as the next scene began.

_Twelve year old Leo sat contentedly scribbling a design down in a very noisy room in an orphanage. The noise and bustle didn't even cause his relaxed smile to waver._

"_What are you doing?" One of the workers asked, and Leo broke out of his stupor. _

"_Designing a cool watch." The camera zoomed into the design to reveal a list of functions that had been written down with instructions to how each would be achieved._

_The workers eyes widened as he observed Leo's blueprint and he whistled under his breath in awe._

"_You should send those plans into a big company and you could be recruited." Leo smiled at him. _

"_Maybe I will."_

"Did you?" Percy asked, and Leo was glad that they were moving on from the gang incident.

"Really, don't you recognise those functions from any adverts?" Annabeth exhaled noisily.

"Apple." Leo nodded, and pouted.

"They ripped of my design and didn't even give me credit."

"Well that sucks." Frank commiserated. Leo shrugged.

"They miss out actually, because I have a spankin' hot war machine and they don't."

"True, though I wonder if Steve Jobs was a demigod." Percy's contemplations were interesting, and Leo made a mental note to ask his siblings about more famous children of Hephaestus.

_Eleven year old Leo was swaying to the music at what looked to be a school disco, amicably chatting to a couple of boys, and clutching a plastic cup of punch. As they talked, a shy looking girl made her way forwards. _

"_L...L...Leo." She stuttered, tugging her white dress nervously._

Leo began adding another figure to his picture, which was now bursting with memories.

"_Hey Heather. What's up?" The girls face immediately flared crimson, and Leo watched her in concern._

"_Would you like to dance with me?" Her question was asked so quickly that Leo almost didn't catch it, but when the words filtered into his head, his cheeks also glowed with colour. Some of the boys he had been talking with started chortling, and the girl eeped and backtracked, apologising for the request. _

_When Leo's hand wrapped around hers, she was prevented from moving._

"_I'd love to." He declared, paying no heed to the boys behind him._

_He lead the girl over to the dance for, weaving past couples and friends until they had reached an empty spot. _

_One hand gently claimed her waist, and her free hand snaked onto his shoulder. They danced slowly to the song, and they showed a surprising amount of skill as they waltzed around the floor. _

_Just as the Heather was beginning to settle into the dance and look comfortable, the slow song ended and a fast song replaced it. Heather's face fell, and she removed her hand's form where they had resided for the duration of the song._

_Leo tugged her back gently._

"_Leaving already, was I that bad of a dance partner?" Heather once again lit up like a beacon as she furiously shook her head._

"_No, of course not! I just didn't think that you'd stay and dance with me to a song like this."_

"_Why not?" Leo laughed before he started dancing to the new beat. Heather seemed to deliberate for a moment or two before she threw caution to the wind and joined in on this new, faster paced dancing. _

_Their moves were good, skilled even, and a small crowd observed the way they twirled and slid with joy._

_They danced the night away, and by the time a teacher had called the night to an end, they were both sweaty and out of breath but their smiles remained unaffected by their dishevelled state. _

_They turned towards each other, and Heather boldly gathered all of her courage._

"_Goodnight." She sweetly murmured before kissing his cheek and darting of to find her friends._

Piper's grin was a little creepy, and Leo braced himself for an onslaught of Aphrodite-esque babble. When none was forthcoming he released his breath, but once again his relief came to soon as Piper immediately began harping on about their cuteness as soon as Leo had relaxed.

Once they had all gotten the teasing, squealing, etc out of their systems, the next memory began.

**Warning : Car accident and death of an animal**

_Ten year old Leo was seated in an alley next to a huge dumpster, hugging his skinny legs to his chest and humming in an attempt to stay cheerful. Everything about him from is matted hair to is dirt encrusted clothes screamed street kid, but the expression on his face was mostly happy. That was when he heard a strange keening noise. _

_He cocked his head to one side and focused on what the noise could possibly mean. And then a small puppy limped forwards, in a worse state then Leo himself. The young dog was clearly too skinny and his leg was bleeding slightly. Yet he still walked trustfully towards Leo, nudging his hand lovingly with his tiny black fur covered head and licking it with his rough pink tongue. _

"_Hey buddy." Leo opened his arms, and the dog jumped onto his lap, nestling into the warmth of the demigod._

_The screen showed a montage of images in which Leo was playing with the dog and nursing it back to health, even falling asleep curled into each other. _

_And then that fateful day came._

_Leo was relocating as the owners of the restaurant which lead into the alley were becoming suspicious. His little friend was nuzzled into his arms and Leo was merrily making his way along a near deserted street._

_He reached the road, and looked both ways, before stepping out when the coast was clear. Before he was even half way across, the puppy shifted in his arms, and Leo took a moment to readjust his hold on the small animal. _

_That was when the car hit him._

_Leo was knocked across the road, rolling to a halt a good few metres away from the car which had pulled to a stop. _

_But he had lost the grip on the puppy._

_A man got out of the car, clearly he had been quite intoxicated but hitting a kid had sobered up._

_Leo blearily looked at the car, and then he noticed the puppy lying in the middle of the road, unmoving._

_Leo wasn't a stupid kid, or even a dumb one so when he saw no signs of movement, a tear trickled down his face. The man was standing over him now, trying to inform a hospital about what happened, but Leo was only focused on making his way to the puppy. The man tried to stop him, but most of his attention was on directing the medical staff. _

_Leo cradled the puppy in his arms, crying fully now._

"_I'm sorry buddy. I'm sorry." he the lost his grip on consciousness._

**Memory over**

Leo tried to stifle his sniffles, but he really was fed up of watching everyone and everything that he had cared about being ripped away from him again.

Percy yanked him into a hug, and for once Leo didn't even bother resisting. He simply cried into his friend's shoulder, to upset and frustrated to feel shame.

They were all crying, but Leo knew that he was the loudest, another fact that he couldn't care less about at this time.

Once he had gotten it all out, he simply gestured at the screen to continue.

_Leo and Hazel were in front of a group of nymphs and a boy who blurred the line between masculine handsome and feminine beauty._

_Leo's hair had been greased back goggles rested on his forehead. Both sleeves were rolled up, and a tattoo adorned one arm saying "hot stuff" with a skull and crossbones underneath. _

"Narcissus." Hazel giggled, and Leo had the feeling that Hera had chosen this scene specifically to lift the mood, or to prepare them for an even worse memory after it. It was Hera, so ?Leo was more inclined to lean towards the pessimistic view.

_Leo began extolling his virtues _(the fan favourite seemed to be "I invented scrawny."_, with Echo repeating his words. He also dissed Narcissus repeatedly. _

_The clip showed the entire incident, including the great escape _(and yes, Leo did hum the theme)_but it ended just before the two boarded the ship with the celestial bronze._

"So that's why the nymphs were chasing you." Percy managed to say between laughs.

Leo shrugged modestly.

"What can I say, they all wanted a piece of me." This brought on another bout of giggles.

Then Hera's voice startled them all out of their joviality.

"This has been a long experience, but you have endured it well young demigods. There is now only one more memory remaining, and it is quite pivotal in understanding Leo."

The screen started up as the demigods marvelled over this whole experience ending soon.

_The scene revealed Hazel and Leo standing in front of Nemesis._

"Erm, why are you standing in front of Smelly Gabe?" Percy was incredibly confused sounding and Leo quickly explained that it was Nemesis, though he was intrigued to discover that the effect worked even when being shown through a memory.

"_And as for __**you**__, child of fire. Your worst hardships are yet to come. You will always be the outsider, the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren."_

_The final memory cut of there, leaving it as one of the shortest, yet also one of the ones with the most impact._

Everyone instantly began protesting these words, but Leo chose to truly think about them instead. And he came to a conclusion.

"I think that she was right in some things. I will never find my place and I will always be the seventh wheel."

"Leooooo!"

"No, just listen for a second. I don't need to find my place, because you guys have shown it to me. And even if I am the seventh wheel, I'm still a necessary part of the machine." They all stared at him, stunned for a moment.

"That was so deep." Annabeth remarked, before they were all blinded by a bright flash of light.

Hera left them sitting on the deck of the Argo, blinking to try and remove the spots from their eyes.

As they sat up, Leo heard a rustle of paper, and found that he was still clutching his picture and that Percy was eyeing it hungrily.

Leo unfolded it, revealing the picture of all of the people that he had cared about in the memories. And right in the middle of the picture was the seven.

They all commented on how it was amazing, but the moment was spoilt by a very confused Coach Hedge who was wondering how they all managed to appear on the deck simultaneously.

"You cupcakes best not be playing a prank on me." He warned, and they all confirmed that they weren't with some laughter. Though each one was internally digesting all that they had learnt and revising their opinions of Leo. They truly had changed with this experience.

General P.O.V

The seven now had a much better understanding of their friend that had been forged through watching him suffer and grow.

And even Leo now had a better understanding of his place in the group and how his friends felt about him. It had been an unorthodox method of getting to know him, but it had worked. And the group were glad for the experience, though they regretted the experience.

And up on Olympus, Hera was crowing about the success of her plan to anyone who would listen, unaware of certain Goddess who happened to disagree that her work was done.

* * *

So Learning about Leo has finally drawn to a close and it is now time for me to move on to the sequels. The main sequel will be a fic where three Leo's from the past are brought onto the Argo. It will be set after Mark Of Athena so Nico will be there but **SPOILERS** Annabeth and Percy will still be onboard. The second sequel may contain spoilers for the books as it will be a series of oneshots in which Leo reunites with the people from his past. Thank you for all the support that you have given this story and I hope that you enjoy the sequels.


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